Programming Distributed Applications Transparently in C++: Myth or Reality?

Modern computing and networking hardware make the physical interconnection of many machines simple. However, programming an application to take even limited advantage of the interconnection is notoriously difficult due to the complexity of the protocols involved. Furthermore, real world demands insist that such applications need to be programmed in an existing, preferably widely available, language. One approach aimed at easing this difficulty is based upon the concept of transparency. By making the underlying distribution of the system transparent to the programmer it is hoped that the programming task becomes comparable with that of programming centralised applications. This paper describes mechanisms and tools that enable the various facets of transparency can be accomplished for the language C++ noting what level of transparency can be realistically attained.