Side Effect Programming and Schematic Design

Abstract

Functional programming does not normally concern itself with the order in which processes are executed; just that if a process can be completed it is done before those that are still waiting for all their parameter values to be accessible. Thus, parallel operations that are complete may be carried out in any order. In some cases, the specific order of doing operations must be forced. Order is important in the case where a program is controlling a process in real time. As you might expect, all because it is possible (say) to steer left before right does not mean that it should be done in that order.