1. Programming Language Translators
Bootstrapping
Programming Language Translators
Prepared by
Manuel E. Bermúdez, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
University of Florida

2. 09/12/2018
“Bootstrapping”
The notion of implementing a language, by means of using (part of) that language’s own implementation.
Notation: T-diagram
Source
Target
Language
Written in
Be selective. You do not need to cover both research and education. It does not need to be a long list. You can put down just one opportunity that you are really excited about. Just identify what you think are the biggest opportunities for your department faculty. Strike a balance between “thinking big” and being realistic. One way to think would be to say that if you were the Dean, you would invest in these opportunities. Remember the goal is to have national level prominence and visibility where our peer group will recognize our activities and accomplishments. For example, the NSF ERC on Particle Science and Technology
As you go to the next slide, please bear in mind that there may well be very strong connections between this slide and the next on multi-disciplinary collaborations.

3. Bootstrapping Diagram Purpose: APPLICATION APPLICATION C C M M M
09/12/2018
Bootstrapping
Diagram Purpose:
APPLICATION
APPLICATION C C M M M
Be selective. You do not need to cover both research and education. It does not need to be a long list. You can put down just one opportunity that you are really excited about. Just identify what you think are the biggest opportunities for your department faculty. Strike a balance between “thinking big” and being realistic. One way to think would be to say that if you were the Dean, you would invest in these opportunities. Remember the goal is to have national level prominence and visibility where our peer group will recognize our activities and accomplishments. For example, the NSF ERC on Particle Science and Technology
As you go to the next slide, please bear in mind that there may well be very strong connections between this slide and the next on multi-disciplinary collaborations.
Object Coincides
Source Coincides
Execution

4. 09/12/2018
Bootstrapping
Example: We wish to have a Pascual compiler for a new Processor, M.
How do we get it ?
Possibility #1: Write the compiler directly by hand, in machine language? In assembly language ?  P M M
Be selective. You do not need to cover both research and education. It does not need to be a long list. You can put down just one opportunity that you are really excited about. Just identify what you think are the biggest opportunities for your department faculty. Strike a balance between “thinking big” and being realistic. One way to think would be to say that if you were the Dean, you would invest in these opportunities. Remember the goal is to have national level prominence and visibility where our peer group will recognize our activities and accomplishments. For example, the NSF ERC on Particle Science and Technology
As you go to the next slide, please bear in mind that there may well be very strong connections between this slide and the next on multi-disciplinary collaborations.

5. 09/12/2018
Bootstrapping
Possibility # 2: Write the Pascal compiler in some other language L, that is already implemented on M. Then, compile the compiler.
But, ... this is probably too much work.
P M
P M L L M M M
Be selective. You do not need to cover both research and education. It does not need to be a long list. You can put down just one opportunity that you are really excited about. Just identify what you think are the biggest opportunities for your department faculty. Strike a balance between “thinking big” and being realistic. One way to think would be to say that if you were the Dean, you would invest in these opportunities. Remember the goal is to have national level prominence and visibility where our peer group will recognize our activities and accomplishments. For example, the NSF ERC on Particle Science and Technology
As you go to the next slide, please bear in mind that there may well be very strong connections between this slide and the next on multi-disciplinary collaborations.
L Compiler

6. 09/12/2018
Bootstrapping
Possibility # 3: First, implement P, a subset of Pascal. Then, write the desired compiler in P, and compile it.
Step 1:
Now P is implemented.
P M
P M
Be selective. You do not need to cover both research and education. It does not need to be a long list. You can put down just one opportunity that you are really excited about. Just identify what you think are the biggest opportunities for your department faculty. Strike a balance between “thinking big” and being realistic. One way to think would be to say that if you were the Dean, you would invest in these opportunities. Remember the goal is to have national level prominence and visibility where our peer group will recognize our activities and accomplishments. For example, the NSF ERC on Particle Science and Technology
As you go to the next slide, please bear in mind that there may well be very strong connections between this slide and the next on multi-disciplinary collaborations. L L M M M

7. 09/12/2018
Bootstrapping
Step 2:
If P is choosen well, the P -> M compiler and the Pascal -> M compiler (in P) together, are easier to write than the Pascal -> M (in L) compiler.
Theoretically, this process can go on indefinitely, bootstrapping up the level of the language. In practice, however, new constructs interfere with each other (and with old ones), until further bootstrapping becomes ummanageable
Pascal M
Pascal M P P M M
Write this M
Be selective. You do not need to cover both research and education. It does not need to be a long list. You can put down just one opportunity that you are really excited about. Just identify what you think are the biggest opportunities for your department faculty. Strike a balance between “thinking big” and being realistic. One way to think would be to say that if you were the Dean, you would invest in these opportunities. Remember the goal is to have national level prominence and visibility where our peer group will recognize our activities and accomplishments. For example, the NSF ERC on Particle Science and Technology
As you go to the next slide, please bear in mind that there may well be very strong connections between this slide and the next on multi-disciplinary collaborations.

8. 09/12/2018
Bootstrapping
Example: Now, lets suppose we wish to port Pascal to a new machine, M’.
Possibility #1: Same as for M.
Possibility #2: Same as for M.
Possibility #3: Same as for M.
Be selective. You do not need to cover both research and education. It does not need to be a long list. You can put down just one opportunity that you are really excited about. Just identify what you think are the biggest opportunities for your department faculty. Strike a balance between “thinking big” and being realistic. One way to think would be to say that if you were the Dean, you would invest in these opportunities. Remember the goal is to have national level prominence and visibility where our peer group will recognize our activities and accomplishments. For example, the NSF ERC on Particle Science and Technology
As you go to the next slide, please bear in mind that there may well be very strong connections between this slide and the next on multi-disciplinary collaborations.

9. Bootstrapping Possibility #4:
09/12/2018
Bootstrapping
Possibility #4:
Step 1: Same as for M (implement P on M’).
Step 2: Modify the Pascal compiler.
Pascal M
By hand P
Be selective. You do not need to cover both research and education. It does not need to be a long list. You can put down just one opportunity that you are really excited about. Just identify what you think are the biggest opportunities for your department faculty. Strike a balance between “thinking big” and being realistic. One way to think would be to say that if you were the Dean, you would invest in these opportunities. Remember the goal is to have national level prominence and visibility where our peer group will recognize our activities and accomplishments. For example, the NSF ERC on Particle Science and Technology
As you go to the next slide, please bear in mind that there may well be very strong connections between this slide and the next on multi-disciplinary collaborations.
Pascal M’
Pascal M’ P P M’ M’ M’

10. 09/12/2018
Bootstrapping
Possibility #5: Don’t use P! Use the implementation of Pascal on M instead.
Step 1:
Pascal M
By hand P
Be selective. You do not need to cover both research and education. It does not need to be a long list. You can put down just one opportunity that you are really excited about. Just identify what you think are the biggest opportunities for your department faculty. Strike a balance between “thinking big” and being realistic. One way to think would be to say that if you were the Dean, you would invest in these opportunities. Remember the goal is to have national level prominence and visibility where our peer group will recognize our activities and accomplishments. For example, the NSF ERC on Particle Science and Technology
As you go to the next slide, please bear in mind that there may well be very strong connections between this slide and the next on multi-disciplinary collaborations.
Pascal M’
Pascal M’
Pascal
Pascal M M M

11. 09/12/2018
Bootstrapping
Step 2:
Note: Possibility #5 is called “cross-compiling”.
Pascal M’
Pascal M’
Pascal
Pascal M’ M’
By hand M
Be selective. You do not need to cover both research and education. It does not need to be a long list. You can put down just one opportunity that you are really excited about. Just identify what you think are the biggest opportunities for your department faculty. Strike a balance between “thinking big” and being realistic. One way to think would be to say that if you were the Dean, you would invest in these opportunities. Remember the goal is to have national level prominence and visibility where our peer group will recognize our activities and accomplishments. For example, the NSF ERC on Particle Science and Technology
As you go to the next slide, please bear in mind that there may well be very strong connections between this slide and the next on multi-disciplinary collaborations.

12. 09/12/2018
Bootstrapping
Many compilers undergo a long chain of bootstrapping steps. For example, XPL (a dialect of PL/I), was written first in Algol, then in XPL, and ported to a B5500 and then an IBM 360. Eight bootstraping steps were required.
Be selective. You do not need to cover both research and education. It does not need to be a long list. You can put down just one opportunity that you are really excited about. Just identify what you think are the biggest opportunities for your department faculty. Strike a balance between “thinking big” and being realistic. One way to think would be to say that if you were the Dean, you would invest in these opportunities. Remember the goal is to have national level prominence and visibility where our peer group will recognize our activities and accomplishments. For example, the NSF ERC on Particle Science and Technology
As you go to the next slide, please bear in mind that there may well be very strong connections between this slide and the next on multi-disciplinary collaborations.