II-EN: Collaborative Research: Positioning MLton for Next-Generation Programming Languages Research

MLton是标准ML编程语言的开源、全程序优化编译器。与任何大型和成熟的软件系统一样，有必要评估MLton软件项目的设计和体系结构，并为持续的研究和开发做出任何实质性的更改。该计算研究基础设施项目支持将MLton定位为编程语言设计和实现研究的工具。这些改进将直接支持研究，同时为学生和下一代研究人员提供在生产级编译器背景下的软件开发经验，这是一个复杂的软件系统，汇集了计算机科学教育的许多主题，并鼓励批判性思维。最后，这些增强将间接支持更广泛的编程语言研究社区和使用函数式编程语言的行业软件开发人员。该项目的更广泛影响将是培训各级的学生研究助理，编制文件和课程材料，以便利用MLton基础设施教授与编译器有关的主题，并继续支持MLton的工业和学术用户。具体的基础设施增强将包括类型检查和优化基础设施的开发、线程和垃圾收集框架、配置和基准测试支持系统，以及包括课程材料在内的文档。这些增强将直接支持下一代语言特性（如一等多态、广义代数数据类型和高阶多态）的全程序编译研究和下一代执行平台（如多核并行系统、实时嵌入式系统和基于云的分布式系统）的编程研究。一个重要的目标是提供一个单一的研究工具，易于配置，以科学地比较和对比研究结果，从而使研究人员能够基于更有意义的比较做出更有力的主张，而不是依赖于多个系统堆栈中较弱的主张。

MLton is an open-source, whole-program, optimizing compiler for the Standard ML programming language. As with any large and mature software system, there is a need to evaluate the design and architecture of the MLton software project, and to make any substantive changes required for continued research and development. This Computing Research Infrastructure project supports enhancements to position MLton as a vehicle for research in programming-language design and implementation. These enhancements will directly support research, while providing students and next-generation of researchers with a software development experience in the context of a production-level compiler, a complex software system that draws together many themes of Computer Science education, and encourages critical thinking. Finally, these enhancements will indirectly support both the broader programming-languages research community and industry software developers that use functional programming languages. The broader impacts of the project will be in training of student research assistants at all levels, the development of documentation and course materials for teaching compiler-related topics using the MLton infrastructure, and the continued support for MLton's industrial and academic users.Specific infrastructure enhancements will include development of type-checking and optimization infrastructures, threading and garbage collection frameworks, configuration and benchmarking support systems, and documentation including course material. These enhancements will directly support research exploring whole-program compilation of next-generation language features (such as first-class polymorphism, generalized algebraic data types, and higher-order polymorphism) and research exploring programming for next-generation execution platforms (such as multi-core parallel systems, real-time embedded systems, and cloud-based distributed systems). One significant goal is to provide a single research vehicle that is easily configurable to scientifically compare and contrast research results, thereby enabling researchers to make stronger claims based on more meaningful comparisons, rather than relying on weaker claims across multiple system stacks.