PODS : location spaces in action calculi

Abstract

Several present technologies adopt a location aware approach for dealing with the additional difficulties incurred when computation is carried out over a Network. In this dissertation we set out to identify the meaning and role of the notion of location in a distributed setting. More specifically, we propose a programming abstraction where the locations at which processes compute are first class computational entities themselves which can be operated on just like other normal values. We then argue that such an abstraction provides a more complete view of what the programmer needs to consider when programming for a distributed architecture and justify our claims through practical examples.