To parallelize or not to parallelize, bugs issue

Abstract: Program correctness is one of the most difficult challenges in parallel programming. Message Passing Interface MPI is widely used in writing parallel applications. Since MPI is not a compiled language, the programmer will be enfaced with several programming bugs.This paper presents the most common programming bugs arise in MPI programs to help the programmer to compromise between the advantage of parallelism and the extra effort needed to detect and fix such bugs. An algebraic specification of an MPI-like programming language, called Simple MPI (SMPI), to be used in writing MPI programs specification has also been proposed. In addition, both nondeterminacy and deadlocks arise in SMPI programs have been verified using Maud system.