Re: Teaching compilers backwards?

Lex Spoon wrote:


(snip)


> In case it's necessary, me too. I don't see the big problem. It is
> challenging to do a compiler in one semester, but it is doable if you
> work in pairs. I've some experience with compiler classes at two
> different (American) universities now. At both of them, students work
> in pairs and manage to build a complete compiler from end to end.


When I took a compiler course we had groups of four. Something like
lexical analyzer, syntax analyzer, code generator, and interpreter of
the generated code. The source language was a subset of Pascal.


When it got down to the last day, to be sure it would be done in time
(no credit if it was late), I did static allocation for variables and
return addresses. (I was more used to Fortran at that point.) It was
supposed to allow recursion, though, so we got an A-.


> Okay, well, the compilers tend to be buggy and to produce horrible
> code, but people do get to play with every phase of a compiler
> including a little bit of optimization.


I don't remember any bugs, but the code was probably pretty bad. It
was three address form, with no attempt at all to reuse memory
locations. We didn't do any optimization, but this was only a one
quarter course.


-- glen

Return to the comp.compilers page.
Search the comp.compilers archives again.