A86: Re: Re: [OT] A TI compiler - Why not?

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A86: Re: Re: [OT] A TI compiler - Why not?


> I see no problem with making an intermediate language.  Sure it may not
> be as fast as pure asm but there has to be a trade off between ease of
> use and speed.  It's like programming a pc game in pure asm or c++.  The
> pure asm game written properly would most likely be more efficient then
> the c++ version but do people really want to spend hours upon hours
> programming complex games in asm.  Do you have a concept of how few games

There is a VAST difference between a desktop computer and a Z80 with 64k
ram.  You cannot get any efficiency out of a compiler for a z80.  Whereas on
a more recent processor (more true to RISC's than CISC's, but all the same)
it is possible for well written C code to perform close to that of hand
coded asm.  id's DOOM proved that.  It was written almost entirely in C, and
was extremely portable.  It was rumored that the it took them less than a
week to port the NeXT version to the PC (it was developed on a NeXT
workstation).

But that's John Carmack and a computer, not a z80 based calculator.  Not the
same thing, not by a long shot.

> there would be if they had to be programmed in pure asm?  There have been

I agree there.  It would be nearly impossible to create huge games on the PC
in asm.  However, most Gameboy games are written in pure asm (to my
knowledge), and there are over 1000 titles for it.  Again, big difference.

> a few attempts already to create ti languages... HAL and Small-C are two

>From my experience, both produce very poor code compared to hand coded asm.

> examples.  If you look at these two intermediate languages you will find
> that they both have one major similarity.. They are both run-time based.
> Both have a standard library of routines that are automatically added to
> the begining of every program.  This is just one example of things that
> could be easily changed to make a better intermediate language.

The problem here is that if you only have 1 or 2 programs written in this
special language, then you will waste TONS of space.  This is way there are
no libraries with Usgard and CrASH.  It is innefficient.

>
> Just my $.02

Glad someone else has an opinion :)
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