Re: Good practical language and OS agnostic text?

usenet@nospam.rwaltman.com wrote


> Not a direct answer to your question - Stanford University is offering
> an online compiler course starting April 23. You may want to take it,
> (it's free.)


Thanks I saw that and was very excited, until I learned it was the usual
environment, that doesn't help me.


> Now, regarding a compiler textbook with a good balance between theory
> and implementation details, I always recommend Pyster's "Compiler
> Design and Construction"
> It is dated, (as proven by the choice of source and target languages:
> "Rascal" [Rudimentary Pascal] and IBM 370 assembler) but still an
> excellent guide for your first attempts at compiler writing.


Now you're talking! This could be the one! I will try to find a copy, thank
you!


> I believe it is a much easier first read than both LCC and the Dragon
> book.
> Adapting it to languages you know will deepen your understanding of
> how it works.
> Another good choice (language wise) could be the Oberon compilers.


I don't generally like the Wirth languages because they often have built in
limitations that make them unsuitable for real work. However they do seem
amenable to changing them so that they are useful. People took Pascal and
Modula-2 in new directions and many variations are supposed to be pretty
good. I'll look at Oberon again now that you mention it. Thanks for your
post!

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