Re: C++ as implementation language in compiler design crse

Background: I've used C++ as the required programming language in my
compiler class for the past 3 or 4 years, even though I had to teach
it as part of the class.


I find that having the students use one language is a major advantage
in teaching. It enables me to put up examples and be sure that
everyone understands them. Also, I can hand out large sections of the
compiler.


I use a subset of C++ (which I call super-C) that is C with strong
typing and abstract datatypes. Once they become acustomed to it, the
students really like it. I introduce object and inheritence late in
the course when we cover parsing and AST (for which inheritence is
great).


All that is lacking is a good textbook that uses C++ (hint, hint).


I agree with Preston, on the other hand, that a compiler course should
not teach students to COMPILE a particular language.


/Jim


James Larus
Computer Sciences Department
University of Wisconsin
1210 West Dayton Street
Madison, WI 53706
larus@cs.wisc.edu
608-262-9519
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