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Towards a theory and calculus of aliasing Bertrand Meyer, Chair of Software Engineering, ETH Zürich, Switzerland

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Abstract

A theory, graphical notation, mathematical calculus and implementation for finding whether two given expressions can, at execution time, denote references attached to the same object. Intended as the basis for a comprehensive solution to the “frame problem” and as an alternative (for the specific issue of determining aliases) to separation logic, shape analysis, ownership types and dynamic frames.

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About the author

Bertrand Meyer is professor of software engineering at ETH Zurich and chief architect at Eiffel Software. His latest book, an introductory programming textbook based on seven years of teaching the introductory course at ETH, is Touch of Class: An Introduction to Programming Well, Using Objects and Contracts, Springer Verlag, 2009. He can be reached by e-mail at bertrand.meyer@inf.ethz.ch.

Bertrand Meyer: "Towards a theory and calculus of aliasing", in Journal of Object Technology, vol. 9, no. 2, March-April 2010, pp. 37-74. http://www.jot.fm/issues/issue_2010_03/column5/