Path: csiph.com!weretis.net!feeder6.news.weretis.net!news.misty.com!news.iecc.com!.POSTED.news.iecc.com!nerds-end From: Derek Newsgroups: comp.compilers Subject: Earliest detailed description of a compiler? Date: Sat, 13 Apr 2024 12:55:05 +0100 Organization: Compilers Central Sender: johnl%iecc.com Approved: comp.compilers@iecc.com Message-ID: <24-04-003@comp.compilers> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Injection-Info: gal.iecc.com; posting-host="news.iecc.com:2001:470:1f07:1126:0:676f:7373:6970"; logging-data="28255"; mail-complaints-to="abuse@iecc.com" Keywords: history, question, comment Posted-Date: 14 Apr 2024 13:05:09 EDT X-submission-address: compilers@iecc.com X-moderator-address: compilers-request@iecc.com X-FAQ-and-archives: http://compilers.iecc.com Xref: csiph.com comp.compilers:3562 All, What is the earliest detailed description of the workings of a compiler? One from 18 April 1958 Internal Translator (IT) A compiler for the 650 http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/ibm/650/CarnegieInternalTranslator.pdf There were lots of compilers by 1957, but where is their internal documentation? https://shape-of-code.com/2017/05/21/evidence-for-28-possible-compilers-in-1957/ [Good question. Here's a bunch of stuff about FORTRAN, with some details in the papers and lecture notes. Start with the 1957 WJCC preprint: https://www.softwarepreservation.org/projects/FORTRAN/ Chapter 7 of this 1958 FLOW-MATIC manual has some internal description: http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/univac/flow-matic/U1518_FLOW-MATIC_Programming_System_1958.pdf -John]