Re: MPI_MEM_ALLOC and MPI_MEM_FREE

Marc Snir (SNIR@watson.ibm.com)
Wed, 11 Sep 1996 23:10:22 -0400

I am inclined to suggest that the only new content of MPI 1.2 be the
Version number calls. This, in addition to clarifications to MPI1. The
reason is that, even if minor changes are made to a library, it still has
to go through testing, documentation has to change, etc. I am not sure
it is worthwhile do do so just in order to sneak in a new errror code or
a few new datatypes. The version number is something that is needed, so
as to distinguish "old" MPI libraries from new ones.

On the other hand, me may reorganize MPI2, and move MPI_MEM_MALLOC and
MPI_MEM_FREE to the "misc" chapter that I suggest to rename "Enhancements
to MPI1". We may also move to there parts of external, such as new style
attribute manipulation functions. Essentially, this section should
contain everything that does not provide new functionality, but
facilitates MPI1 coding: everything that replaces deprecated functions,
everything that is a no brainer to all vendors but useful to some,
everything that codifies existing user practice (such as language
interoperability) and avoids multiple ports to implementation specific
features of current MPI1 libraries. We may suggest that this part of
MPI2 be added to MPI1 by implementors asap.