OCCAM is a programming language that draws heavily on Hoare’s CSP notation, but no reference is made in this book to the original CSP paper [1].

The idea of this book is good, as are its general plan, length, and layout. Listings of program segments (folds) are given in an easily followed manner. Much of the detail is also well chosen and well presented; however, there are points that detract from the usefulness of the book. For instance, it describes a particular version of the programming language OCCAM, a product of INMOS Ltd. A new version of the language, which provides new and powerful features, means that a second edition of this book is due almost immediately after the first has been published.

The usual target hardware for OCCAM programs is the INMOS transputer, which is described in the last chapter of the book.

The programming examples seem to have been chosen for their usefulness in describing OCCAM features rather than because they are necessarily realistic. OCCAM is essentially a low-level programming notation, so there is a tendency in the book to describe code implementation details rather than program design. Other published work of both theoretical and practical nature has discussed system design using OCCAM and transputers in more detail. In the example of the petrol pump simulator, the essence of the design is lost in implementation detail. In the example on Hamming code check, the full power of the method is not used and no justification is given to show that the parallel version is faster than the sequential version. The example of modeling and simulation of bit-slice processors lacks realism, particularly with the problem provided by fan-out. All the examples seem to lack the clarity that would have been gained through the use of high-level support tools and standard software modules.

The book is primarily intended as the text for a conversion course for students already familiar with a sequential programming language. There are various other books in the same general area. This one is a tutorial text for use when the class is likely to be testing program code and developing new ideas using the transputer development system hardware and software. It covers the concepts by use of examples. A problem would occur if the course lecturer wished to use other examples.

There are no references in the book to other published material. In a few cases the use of previous material would have strengthened the book.

The book is biased toward a low-level practical approach to the subject, rather than a high-level system design or theoretical approach. From this viewpoint it is a well-planned and useful course text.