What's the classic work on dataflow programming?
setori88: check out a decent implementation of dataflow in mozart/oz there are papers on the site that describe the rational behind it. 
Dead end - I believe certainly not. This is just beginning.
Also read 'concepts, techniques and models of computer programming' by peter von roy and seif haridi
That book will show you exactly how to make sense of dataflow and where its correct place is.if you look at the oz kernel code there you can see how it was implemented very clearly. The book holds your hand right through the whole process of setting up dataflow in a (kernel) programming language.