%0 Journal Article %J Commun. ACM %D 1973 %T Reversible execution %A Zelkowitz, Marvin V %K backtracking %K Debugging %K PL/I %K reversible execution %X The ability to backtrack, or retrace, the execution of a computer program has gained wider acceptance recently as a desired feature within a programming language. This is particularly useful in two different applications: (1) In debugging systems where the trace output is saved and can be interrogated under programmer control [1, 3]; (2) In artificial intelligence applications where one is trying to prove a certain result. It is frequently necessary to backup the proof and try some alternative path [2]. %B Commun. ACM %V 16 %P 566– - 566– %8 1973/09// %@ 0001-0782 %G eng %U http://doi.acm.org/10.1145/362342.362360 %N 9 %R 10.1145/362342.362360