Data-parallel languages provide an abstract, machine-independent model of parallelism.
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Fine-grain parallel operations, such as element-wise operations on arrays
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Shared data in large, global arrays with mapping "hints"
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Implicit synchronization between operations
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Partially explicit communication from operation definitions
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Advantages:
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Global operations conceptually simple
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Easy to program (particularly for certain scientific applications)
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Disadvantages:
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Unproven compilers
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As express "problem" can be inflexible if new algorithm which language didn't express well
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Examples: HPF, C*, HPC++
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Originated on SIMD machines where parallel operations are in lock-step but generalized (not so successfully as compilers too hard) to MIMD
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