Subject: Heterogeneous communication proposal

From: Tony Skjellum <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 18 Jul 93 10:28:48 CDT

Dear colleagues:

In order to make inter-vendor MPI implementations and cluster
computing with MPI even a reasonable possibility, I suggest that we
need to adopt the requirement that data formats follow IEEE Std
1596.5-1993 Data Transfer Formats Optimized for SCI.  I propose that
debate be started on this topic, and that a presentation be made at
MPI in which the features of 1596.5-1993 are discussed and elaborated.
Currently, there is little hope for standardization between vendors
(or home-brew heterogeneous MPI) implementations.  We recognize that
XDR is inefficient, so this IEEE standard seems the logical
alternative.  If we say nothing, implementations will surely become
incompatible.

I volunteer to champion this effort, but only after the context chapter
issues are resolved (so for September meeting or later). It is very
important, to my mind, that we embrace other reasonable standards in
creating MPI, such as this data standard.

- Tony Skjellum

Enclosure: