Abstract
We perceive programs as single-pass instruction sequences.
A single-pass instruction sequence under execution is considered to
produce a behaviour to be controlled by some execution environment.
Threads as considered in basic thread algebra model such behaviours.
We show that all regular threads, i.e.\ threads that can only be in a
finite number of states, can be produced by single-pass instruction
sequences without jump instructions if use can be made of Boolean
registers.
We also show that, in the case where goto instructions are used instead
of jump instructions, a bound to the number of labels restricts the
expressiveness.
View-only version of article
Preprint available:
arXiv:0810.1106 [cs.PL]