‘Long return’: A technique for improving the efficiency of inter‐module communication
Bjarne Stroustrup · Software Practice and Experience · 1981
Abstract This paper describes a concept called ‘long return’ for use in inter‐module communication systems. First an implementation which implies a simplification of—rather than an extension of—traditional inter‐module communication systems is outlined. This implementation allows long returns to be used as an optimization technique without violating the commonly accepted principles of system structuring. Thereafter an experiment that provides an estimate of the improvements in efficiency of a particular operating system is described. In the SIMOS operating systems (based on the Cambridge CAP operating system) about 20 per cent of all inter‐process communication operations can be avoided by using long returns, and as a consequence the amount of useful work done in the system is typically increased by about 2.0 per cent.