Productivity of Multiprogrammed Computers-Progress in Developing an Analytic Prediction Method Multiprogramming as it is discussed here is a mode of computer operation in which two or more programs are concurrently in processor memory and proceeding, each using the same central processor unit (CPU) and input-output (I/O) channels. These programs are actually proceeding intermittently and singly, according to eligibility (readiness to proceed) and priority. It is useful to be able to represent them as proceeding continuously and simultaneously, each at an effective rate, which may be a fraction of that which it would enjoy in the absence of the other programs. The effective progress rate of each program is sensitive to many detailed characteristics of itself and its co-residents and simulation has been the best available method of predicting it. This paper presents the results of progress in developing an alternative to simulation, a simulation-tested iterative computation of these rates under certain situations. The algorithm is sensitive to most of the factors that control the phenomenon, including nonquantitative or topological features of the programs' structures. CACM December, 1969 Lasser, D. J. productivity, prediction, multiprogramming, simulation, equipment evaluation, hardware, evaluation, monitor, operating system, system software, supervisors, performance, time sharing, time slicing 2.43 2.44 4.32 CA691207 JB February 15, 1978 2:47 PM 1805 4 1805 1805 4 1805 1805 4 1805 1828 4 1805 1846 4 1805 1854 4 1805 1892 4 1805 1912 4 1805 2187 4 1805 2188 4 1805 2218 4 1805 2317 4 1805 1518 5 1805 1572 5 1805 1748 5 1805 1805 5 1805 1805 5 1805 1805 5 1805 3070 5 1805 1805 6 1805 2454 6 1805 2741 6 1805 2988 6 1805