Hello

Here is the latest Caml Weekly News, for the week of May 23 to 30, 2006.

1. Ocaml interface to Link Grammar
2. PhD position on formal verification in Amsterdam
3. repository of ocaml code contributions

Archive: http://thread.gmane.org/gmane.comp.lang.caml.general/33070/focus=33070

This package contains the OCaml interface to Link
Grammar. It enables Ocaml applications to use Link
Grammar to parse English sentences. For more
information on Link Grammar refer
http://www.link.cs.cmu.edu/link/
(Link Grammar is available as a free download).

Download

http://ramamurthy.ramu.googlepages.com/ocamllinkgrammar

The package contains:

    * README.txt
    * linkgrammar.mli   (module interface)
    * linkgrammar.ml   (module implementation)
    * linkgrammar.c     (OCaml interface to
linkgrammar C-API)
    * utApi.ml             (API test)
    * utBatch.ml         (API test - Parse sentences
from a file)

Example

"Janet, who is an expert on dogs, helped me choose
one"

Parse Tree: 

  S
    NP
      NP
        Janet
      ,
      SBAR
        WHNP
          who
        S
          VP
            is
            NP
              an
              expert
            PP
              on
              NP
                dogs
    VP
      helped
      NP
        me
      VP
        choose
        NP
          one
      

Archive: http://thread.gmane.org/gmane.comp.lang.caml.general/33072/focus=33072

PHD POSITION: FORMAL VERIFICATION OF EPIDEMIC PROTOCOLS AND DISTRIBUTED VERIFICATION METHODS
============================================================================================

The Theoretical Computer Science Group at the Vrije Universiteit (VU) in Amsterdam
seeks a PhD student for four years on a research project devoted to

  Formal Verification of Epidemic Protocols and Distributed Verification Methods

Starting date of this PhD position: as soon as possible.

The project
-----------

The aim of the project is to develop techniques and tools for distributed verification,
and to apply formal verification techniques in the design and analysis of epidemic
protocols.

The distributed verification track will focus on parallel algorithms for minimizing
state spaces modulo some behavioral equivalence, and model checking. The DAS-3
supercomputer, which will become operational this Summer, will serve as an
experimentation platform.

Epidemic protocols multicast data in a peer-to-peer network similar to the way
a disease spreads. The analysis of epidemic protocols should (1) provide further
experience with applying formal verification methods to communication protocols,
and with applying such methods in the design process, (2) result in improved
versions of epidemic protocols, (3) lead to a systematic approach to analyze epidemic
protocols, and (4) provide case studies for the distributed verification track.

For more detailed information on the project, see

  http://www.cs.vu.nl/~wanf/epidis.txt

This project is a collaboration between three research groups at the VU:
Theoretical Computer Science (Wan Fokkink), Distributed Systems (Maarten van Steen,
Andy Tanenbaum), and Parallel Computing (Henri Bal).

For more information on the involved research groups, see

  http://www.cs.vu.nl/~tcs
  http://www.cs.vu.nl/cs/index-en.html

Qualifications
--------------

Candidates should have completed their studies in computer science or a closely
related area. Experience with distributed systems, a good theoretical background
(algorithmics, formal methods), and an open attitude to applications are
considered advantages. You should enjoy working in an internationally oriented
research environment. Communicative skills and the ability to work in a team
are important.

Information and application
---------------------------

For further information about this position please contact:

  Prof.dr. Wan Fokkink, wanf@cs.vu.nl, tel. +31 (0)20 5987735

You are invited to send an application by email to the above email address no
later than June 29, 2006. Your application should consist of a cover letter,
a curriculum vitae (including detailed information regarding your academic degree,
and possibly a list of publications), and the names and addresses of two references.
      

Archive: http://thread.gmane.org/gmane.comp.lang.caml.general/33083/focus=33083

> >     I seem to remember that there used to be a repository of contributed
> > OCaml code. ???
> 
> There is :
> 
> http://caml.inria.fr//cgi-bin/hump.en.cgi

There also is:

http://www.npc.de/ocaml/linkdb/
http://www.npc.de/ocaml/linkdb/frames.html
      

Using folding to read the cwn in vim 6+

Here is a quick trick to help you read this CWN if you are viewing it using vim (version 6 or greater).

:set foldmethod=expr
:set foldexpr=getline(v:lnum)=~'^=\\{78}$'?'<1':1
zM

If you know of a better way, please let me know.

Old cwn

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Alan Schmitt