The evolution of programs: a system for automatic program modification

ABSTRACT

A programmer spends more time modifying already existing programs than constructing original ones. An attempt is made to formulate techniques of program modification, whereby a program that achieves one result can be transformed into a new program that uses the same principles to achieve a different goal. For example, a program that uses the binary search paradigm to divide two numbers may be modified to calculate the square-root of a number in a similar manner.Program debugging is considered as a special case of modification if a program computers wrong results, it must be modified to achieve the intended results The application of abstract program schemata to concrete problems is also viewed from the perspective of modification techniques.We, have embedded this approach in a running implementation; our methods are illustrated with several examples that have been performed by it.

REFERENCES

• 1: Dershowitz, N. and Z. Manna {July 1975},On automating structured programming, Proc. Symp. on Proving and Improving Programs, Arc-et-Senans, France, pp. 167-193.
• 2: Edsger Wybe Dijkstra, A Discipline of Programming, Prentice Hall PTR, Upper Saddle River, NJ, 1997
• 3: Fikes R. E., P. E. Hart and N. J. Nilsson {Winter 1972},Learning and executing generalized robot plans, Artificial Intelligence, V. 3, No. 4, pp. 251-288.
• 4: Susan L. Gerhart, Knowledge about programs: A model and case study, Proceedings of the international conference on Reliable software, p.88-95, April 21-23, 1975, Los Angeles, California
• 5: German, S. M. and B. Wegbreit {Mar. 1975},A synthesizer of inductive assertions, IEEE Trans. on Software Engineering, V. SE-1, No. 1, pp. 68-75.
• 6: Shmuel Katz , Zohar Manna, Logical analysis of programs, Communications of the ACM, v.19 n.4, p.188-206, April 1976 [doi>10.1145/360032.360048]
• 7: Robert Elliot Kling, Reasoning by analogy with applications to heuristic problem-solving: a case study, 1971
• 8: Manna, Z. and R. J. Waldinger {Summer 1975},Knowledge and reasoning in program synthesis, Artificial Intelligence, V. 6, No. 2, pp. 175-208.
• 9: Gerald Jay Sussman, A Computer Model of Skill Acquisition, Elsevier Science Inc., New York, NY, 1975
• 10: Wensley, J. H. {Jan. 1959},A class of non-analytical iterative processes, Computer J., V. 1, No. 4, pp. 163-167.
• 11: Wilber, B. M. {Mar. 1976},A QLISP reference manual, Tech. note 118, Artificial Intelligence Center, Stanford Research Institute, Menlo Park, Ca.