Definition
The Multiflow Trace was a VLIW computer system, designed and manufactured by Multiflow Computer, Inc. of Branford, CT, USA. The Multiflow Trace was distinguished by its ability to issue as many as 7, 14, or 28 operations in each instruction, whose width could be up to 1,024 bits, depending upon the model. Designed as a target for a trace scheduling compiler, users were not required to divide the code into parallel routines. The compiler, sometimes with guidance from the programmer, found instruction-level parallelism in ordinary code, and constructed the very long instructions prior to the running of the program. Design of the Multiflow Trace began in 1984, with the first systems delivered in 1987. The last of the approximately 120 systems sold was delivered in 1990.
Discussion
Introduction
In the late 1970s, instruction-level parallelism (ILP) was a research topic. In fact, Joseph (Josh) Fisher coined the term in 1980, while a professor at Yale University. Dynamic ILP,...
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Lowney, G. (2011). Multiflow Computer. In: Padua, D. (eds) Encyclopedia of Parallel Computing. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-09766-4_8
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