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From: compilers@is-not-my.name
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Subject: Re: Good practical language and OS agnostic text?
Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2012 16:06:22 -0000
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compiler.ddj@nospam.h-rd.org wrote:

> Best read, easy to understand and follow:
> Compiler Construction - N. Wirth [PDF (597 KB)]
> http://www.ethoberon.ethz.ch/WirthPubl/CBEAll.pdf

You guys! Easy to understand and follow, and Wirth in the same sentence?! I
guess it's all relative. I find Wirth terse bordering on cryptic. I thought
it was part of his charm. Still I haven't look at anything he's written for
at least 20 years or so. I should go over it again.

> somwhat old, but good to read: Gries "Compiler Construction for
> digital computers"

That might be a good one especially if it's the same Gries who wrote
PL/C. I have the PL/I and PL/C book by him and Conway but I can't put
my hands on it right now. Thank you for mentioning it.

> And probably the most refreshing one:  the Lisp 1.5 manual , it has is
> an interpreter and compiler in the appendix. (
> http://www.softwarepreservation.org/projects/LISP/book/LISP%201.5%20Programmers%20Manual.pdf/view
> ).
>
> [Appendix B of the Lisp 1.5 manual (which I happen to have in
> convenient 1969 paper form) does have a pseudocode interpreter, but
> Appendix D about the compiler just describes how to use it, no
> listings.  And he wouldn't like the Lisp compiler anyway, since then
> he'd have to learn LAP. Gries is a good thought, quite concrete and the
> target machine is a thinly disguised S/360. -John]

Thanks John. It looks like that may indeed be a good choice.