🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <1991Mar18.160755.4608@msuinfo.cl.msu.edu> lees@cps.msu.edu (John Lees) writes:
>I have been using gcc a lot recently, trying to isolate bugs in the
>port, and have been comparing gcc's error messages with those of the
>native C compiler. I'm not thrilled with either, especially with gcc's
>common "parse error in line blah blah" message. This may be all I or
>any other experienced programmer need as a clue to find a syntax
>error, but it sure is confusing to a student just learning their way
>around.
>[stuff deleted]
>Does anyone else out there see a need for a "student C compiler", that
>would have good error recovery and messages? This has been done for
>other languages (ALGOL-W, WATFIV, PL/C) quite well, and is very useful
>in a learning environment. And I suspect that considerable numbers of
>people-years of effort could be saved by better error handling, even
>for professional programmmers.
>
Sounds like a good project for a Compiler class at MSU, either
advanced undergraduate or masters level.  Besides, it would be an
extremely valuable learning experience for those participating in the
project because they would be spending a large portion of their time
reading the existing gcc code, trying to figure out how it works.
This kind of software "reading" experience is sorely lacking in 99% of
all computer science graduates, from a bachelor's degree to a Ph.D.
-- 
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Kevin Gallagher        kgallagh@digi.lonestar.org OR ...!uunet!digi!kgallagh
DSC Communications Corporation   Addr: MS 152, 1000 Coit Rd, Plano, TX 75075
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