Machine-independent intermediate languages

[Hugh LaMaster]

In article <e4ITv#4cfCcm=eric at snark.UUCP> eric at snark.UUCP (Eric S. Raymond) writes:

>I consider this a detail. Front-ending is *not* the hard part in HLL
>compilation; front ends are easy to write, and easy to port. Code generation
>is the hard part. Eliminating the front end, by itself, doesn't pare away
>enough complexity and cost to justify the MIIL concept.
>
>
>
>
Well, certain steps like vectorization and certain other optimizations
logically fall before production of the MIIL and are language dependent.
These parts of the front end must be hard, judging by the number of bugs
associated with production compilers in this area.  So, in some cases 
there is a significant amount of work to writing a language dependent
front end.  Therefore, there is a significant potential benefit to
using a MIIL if you can make it work.



-- 
  Hugh LaMaster, m/s 233-9,  UUCP ames!lamaster
  NASA Ames Research Center  ARPA lamaster at ames.arc.nasa.gov
  Moffett Field, CA 94035     
  Phone:  (415)694-6117