The list update problem, a well-studied problem in dynamic data structures, can be described abstractly as a metrical task system. In this paper, we prove that a generic metrical task system algorithm, called the work function algorithm, has constant competitive ratio for list update. In the process, we present a new formulation of the well-known "list factoring" technique in terms of a partial order on the elements of the list. This approach leads to a new simple proof that a large class of online algorithms, including Move-To-Front, is (2 — 1/k)-competitive.
CITATION STYLE
Anderson, E. J., Hildrum, K., Karlin, A. R., Rasala, A., & Saks, M. (1999). On list update and work function algorithms. In Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics) (Vol. 1643, pp. 289–300). Springer Verlag. https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-48481-7_26
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