Primeval C

[S6k9GNh0]

Scrounging around on the concept of how a C compiler is made from C, I found this: http://cm.bell-labs.com/cm/cs/who/dmr/primevalC.html

This is just a little story of some older tapes containing C. A lot more interesting that what I'm making it sound out to be.

[helios]

I have to say, it doesn't sound like a very smart idea to bootstrap a compiler while the specification of the language is not complete.

[S6k9GNh0]

I'm honestly not sure why they did but maybe it's more effecient for less effort?

[helios]

Well... Considering C was meant as an Assembly preprocessor, I suppose it does kinda make sense.

[Hammurabi]

This is hilarious:

Back around 1970-71, Unix ... didn't support any kind of hardware memory mapping or protection, for example against writing over the kernel. This was a pain, because we were using the machine for multiple users. When anyone was working on a program, it was considered a courtesy to yell "A.OUT?" before trying it, to warn others to save whatever they were editing.

[S6k9GNh0]

Well, this was the beginning of multi-user operating systems and complex kernel based operating systems. *nix type operating systems were just coming around about the time the Primeval C came out. Operating Systems are a lot more complex today than one could actually believe.