Aspects of System Support for Distributed Computing

The aim of this paper is to introduce our research into the problem of providing support for diierent elements of distributed computing, such as distribution and synchro-nisation, and how this relates to Aspect-Oriented Programming. Our previous research has provided support for individual features of distributed computing, typically by extending the deenition of some existing programming language in anàd-hoc'manner. Later, we developed a compiled, reeective language in order to provide a more structured approach to extending a language for supporting distributed computing. This language provides support for implementing diierent features of distributed applications using meta-object classes and meta-level programming. However, the question arises as to how we can combine a number of meta-object classes (and the features they represent) to create a single application. We are also interested in providing the application programmer with programming language facilities to specify the diierent distributed computing requirements of an application in a more modular fashion. Given these separate speciications, a technique is needed for combining them into a working application. Our approach to this problem is a `bottom-up' one. By investigating how meta-level classes can be combined, we hope to develop a framework which can be used to support the combination of diierent features of an application.