WDDD 2017

The 14th Annual Workshop on Duplicating, Deconstructing and Debunking (WDDD)
held in conjunction with ISCA 2017

IMPORTANT DATES:
Abstract Submission (optional): April 10, 2017
Paper Submission: April 14, 2017
Acceptance: May 1, 2017
Final Version: June 20, 2017

WDDD provides the computer systems research community a forum for work that validates or duplicates earlier results; deconstructs prior findings by providing greater, in-depth insight into causal relationships or correlations; or debunks earlier findings by describing precisely how and why proposed techniques fail where earlier successes were claimed, or succeed where failure was reported.

Traditionally, computer systems research conferences have focused almost exclusively on novelty and performance, neglecting an abundance of interesting work that lacks one or both of these attributes. A significant part of research–in fact, the backbone of the scientific method–involves independent validation of existing work and the exploration of strange ideas that never pan out. This workshop provides a venue for disseminating such work in our community. Published validation experiments strengthen existing work, while thorough comparisons provide new dimensions and perspectives. Studies that refute or correct existing work also strengthen the research community, by ensuring that published material is technically correct and has sound assumptions. Publishing negative or strange or unexpected results will allow future researchers to learn the hard lessons of others, without repeating their effort.

This workshop will set a high scientific standard for such experiments, and will require insightful analysis to justify all conclusions. The workshop will favor submissions that provide meaningful insights, and identify underlying root causes for the failure or success of the investigated technique. Acceptable work must thoroughly investigate and communicate why the proposed technique performs as the results indicate. WDDD has a unique tradition of asking the original paper authors to provide a follow-up comment after the WDDD paper has been presented, where appropriate. The follow-up comment may take the form of a rebuttal or additional insight from the original authors.

SUBMISSION TOPICS:
– Independent validation of earlier results with meaningful analysis
– In-depth analysis and sensitivity studies that provide further insight into earlier findings, or identify key parameters or assumptions that affect the results
– Studies that refute earlier findings, with clear justification and explanation
– Negative results for ideas that intuitively make sense and should work, along with explanations for why they do not
– Validation/refutation of controversial advertising claims by industrial competitors

WORKSHOP SCOPE:
In general, any topic that is of interest to computer architecture conferences and related systems areas are of potential interest for WDDD, so long as the paper is in the spirit of the themes of Duplication, Deconstruction, and/or Debunking. The following lists some topics, but this is by no means an exhaustive list. If in doubt, please do not hesitate to contact the conference organizers.

Computer Architecture
– Processor architecture/microarchitecture
– Memory hierarchy
– GPU, GPGPU, SIMD/SIMT, heterogeneous architectures
– Multiprocessor systems
– Data-center and scale-out architectures
– Low-power, energy-efficient architectures
– Dependable/reliable architectures
– Application-specific, reconfigurable, and embedded architecture
– Architectural implications and designs for emerging technologies

Compilers, Tools, and Applications
– Deconstruction/analysis of emerging workloads
– Simulation tools, models, and methodologies
– Feedback-driven and phase-based optimization
– Compiler/architecture interaction
– Dynamic compilation, adaptive/continuous optimization
– Modulo/trace scheduling
– Efficient profiling techniques
– Binary translation/optimization
– Compilation support for thread level speculation

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:
We will use a double-blind review process this year. Submit an anonymous manuscript of up to 10 pages in two-column format by April 14, 2017 using the submission website: https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=wddd2017.

ORGANIZERS:
Murali Annavaram, USC
Andre Seznec, INRIA