Plenary Lecture

Super-Object-Oriented Programming and Simulation

Professor Eugene Kindler
Profesor of applied mathematics,
University of Ostrava,
Faculty of Science,
Dept. of Computers and Informatics,
CZ - 701 03 Ostrava, 30. dubna no. 22,
Czech Republic
E-mail: ekindler@centrum.cz

Abstract: One applies simulation namely in studying complex systems and for that purpose special programming techniques were developed, among which the object-oriented programming (OOP) passed the domain of simulation over and became a universal technique of programming and of representation of concepts. A man-made system S designed in a modern way often uses a computer C for controlling its operation and – in case the controlling is complex – it uses also simulation and/or OOP. If such a man-made system S is simulated during its design phase, C should be reflected in the used simulation model M, together with its operation, namely with the (simulation) model m and/or the represented concepts used by it; this statement can be exactly proved. So the “internal” model m should be “nested” in the “external” model M and often the system r of concepts represented for the purpose of m should be “nested” into the system R of concepts represented for the purpose of M. The psychology demands the authors of the models to introduce the same names of concepts, of functions and of elements for both the models M and m, although they essentially differ by their own relation to the simulated reality; for example, they have their own (mutually different) time flows; moreover, a danger of a fatal error called transplantation exists, consisting in assigning a name qualified in one of the models to an element belonging to the other one.

There is a technique called super-object-oriented programming (SOOP) that allows secure and decipherable producing of such “nesting” models. It consists in enlarging the OOP by “life rules”, i.e. algorithms according the instances of the concepts should behave, and local classes, that enable an instance E of a class to carry classes “nested” in it. In M, E can simply model a modeling/simulating computer (or even a formalized human “manager” existing inside the system reflected by M, who time to time anticipates possible future consequences of his own decisions). Surprisingly, SOOP was discovered already 41 years ago together with the OOP. The principles of solving obstacles in the nesting simulation models will be presented.

The author led some works oriented to simulation of the sea harbors (especially container terminals), of the production halls equipped with auto-routed vehicles, and of the hospital sections, and in the Czech Republic and France such techniques were followed, namely in developing special “quasi-parallel” methods of optimizing and of nested simulation models of public transport, of circular conveyors and of systems of demographic development. Their details will be presented in special papers of their authors.

Brief Biography of the Speaker:
Eugene Kindler was born in 1935, studied mathematics at Charles University in Prague, (Czechoslovakia) and then computer science at the Research Institute of Mathematical Machines in Prague. He is the author of the first Czechoslovak ALGOL 60 compiler and the first Czechoslovak simulation language and compiler (COSMO, Compartmental System Modeling). Charles University granted him PhDr in logic and RNDr (Rerum Naturalium Doctor) in the theory of programming, Czechoslovak Academy of Science granted him CSc (Candidate of Sciences) in mathematics and physics. During 1958-1966 he worked with the Research Institute of Mathematical Machines, then with the Institute of Biophysics of the Faculty of General Medicine of Charles University (until 1973) and then with the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics of the same University (until 2006). In parallel, he worked with a new University of Ostrava. Since 2006 he has been pensioned, collaborating with the same Ostrava University as external specialist in various research projects and in doctoral studies.
During 1967-1973 he was responsible for special projects on information processing in radiation security and during 1973-1989 he was head of teams oriented to the fundamental research of modeling techniques. During 1995-2000 he represented Czech Republic activities at two COPERNICUS projects sponsored by the European Commission and oriented to sea harbor modernizing with use of modern information technology. Beside many shorter professional stays at foreign institutions, he worked as visiting professor with the University of Pisa (Italy, one year around 1969) and with West Virginia University (Morgantown, USA, one year around 1993), as invited professor and then as holder of French government professor scholarship with Blaise Pascal University (Clermont-Ferrand, 9 moths, around 1995 and 1998) and with the University of South Brittany (Lorient, France, 3 times one months in 2002-2004), and as a hosting lecturer with Humboldt University (Berlin, 3 months in 1983). His main professional interest is object-oriented simulation of discrete event systems, namely of those using their own private models for anticipating their future states. His private hobby is the chant originated during the first millennium A.D. in Europe and certain Near East Asian countries.