Metric Tools in Comparative Control Flow Semantics
by
E.P. de Vink
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

A few theorems from elementary metric topology constitute a powerful toolkit for both the design of denotational models as well as for the comparison to operational ones of control flow concepts of contemporary programming languages. Hahn's and Kuratowski's Theorem ensure completeness of several semantical domains. Michael's Theorem is useful in establishing well-definedness of semantical operators. Most important though is Banach's Fixed Point Theorem which is used to define semantical operators, to prove their properties, to justify the definition scheme for denotational models and also to compare the denotational semantics and the operational ones. In the talk an overview is given of the use of the above theorems and the exploitation of so-called higher-order transformations in the metric approach to programming language semantics.

Date received: April 12, 1996

Copyright © 1996 by the author(s). The author(s) of this document and the organizers of the conference have granted their consent to include this abstract in Atlas Conferences Inc. Document # caaf-89.