3 ms·

> There are several compiler-only Lisp implementations which can execute source from text. Why not? I would.

by ggchappell 12y ago

ggchappell 12y ago
Oops. My "Why not?" above is in reference to this: > Nobody there would call them interpreter because of that.
- lispm 12y ago
  Why would you call an 'compiler' an 'interpreter'? The following is Clozure Common Lisp. Every single input is compiled directly to machine code. Feed it source text and everything is compiled. Each and every expression. Why should I call a direct native code compiler an 'Interpreter'? Makes no sense. ? (let ((f (lambda (a) (+ 1 a)))) (disassemble f) (funcall f 2)) ;;; (lambda (a) (+ 1 a)) L0 (leaq (@ (:^ L0) (% rip)) (% fn)) ; [0] (cmpl ($ 8) (% nargs)) ; [7] (jne L57) ; [10] (pushq (% rbp)) ; [12] (movq (% rsp) (% rbp)) ; [13] (pushq (% arg_z)) ; [16] ;;; (+ 1 a) (leaveq) ; [17] (testb ($ 7) (% arg_z.b)) ; [18] (jne L39) ; [22] (addq ($ 8) (% arg_z)) ; [24] (jo L32) ; [28] (repz) (retq) ; [30] L32 (jmpq (@ .SPFIX-OVERFLOW)) ; [32] L39 (movl ($ 8) (% arg_y.l)) ; [39] (jmpq (@ .SPBUILTIN-PLUS)) ; [44] ;;; #<no source text> L57 (uuo-error-wrong-number-of-args) ; [57] 3 ; result
  - ggchappell 12y ago
    An interpreter is a box that takes code in some programming language and executes it. A compiler is a box that takes code is some programming language and translates it into another programming language. Traditionally, the twain ne'er did meet. However, many (most?) modern interpreters include a compiler as part of their implementation. Using a compiler in this manner is "Just in Time" (JIT) compilation. So a box that takes Clozure Common Lisp and converts it to machine code is a compiler. A box that takes Clozure Common Lisp, feeds it into this compiler to obtain machine code, and executes this machine code immediately, is an interpreter, using JIT compilation to do its interpretation.
    - lispm 12y ago
      > An interpreter is a box that takes code in some programming language and executes it. The interpreter executes that language, not another. > A box that takes Clozure Common Lisp, feeds it into this compiler to obtain machine code, and executes this machine code immediately, is an interpreter, using JIT compilation to do its interpretation. It's neither an interpreter not using JIT compilation. It's an AOT compiler. It's just an incremental compiler.

> There are several compiler-only Lisp implementations which can execute source from text. Why not? I would.

ggchappell 12y ago

Oops. My "Why not?" above is in reference to this: > Nobody there would call them interpreter because of that.

lispm 12y ago
Why would you call an 'compiler' an 'interpreter'? The following is Clozure Common Lisp. Every single input is compiled directly to machine code. Feed it source text and everything is compiled. Each and every expression. Why should I call a direct native code compiler an 'Interpreter'? Makes no sense. ? (let ((f (lambda (a) (+ 1 a)))) (disassemble f) (funcall f 2)) ;;; (lambda (a) (+ 1 a)) L0 (leaq (@ (:^ L0) (% rip)) (% fn)) ; [0] (cmpl ($ 8) (% nargs)) ; [7] (jne L57) ; [10] (pushq (% rbp)) ; [12] (movq (% rsp) (% rbp)) ; [13] (pushq (% arg_z)) ; [16] ;;; (+ 1 a) (leaveq) ; [17] (testb ($ 7) (% arg_z.b)) ; [18] (jne L39) ; [22] (addq ($ 8) (% arg_z)) ; [24] (jo L32) ; [28] (repz) (retq) ; [30] L32 (jmpq (@ .SPFIX-OVERFLOW)) ; [32] L39 (movl ($ 8) (% arg_y.l)) ; [39] (jmpq (@ .SPBUILTIN-PLUS)) ; [44] ;;; #<no source text> L57 (uuo-error-wrong-number-of-args) ; [57] 3 ; result
- ggchappell 12y ago
  An interpreter is a box that takes code in some programming language and executes it. A compiler is a box that takes code is some programming language and translates it into another programming language. Traditionally, the twain ne'er did meet. However, many (most?) modern interpreters include a compiler as part of their implementation. Using a compiler in this manner is "Just in Time" (JIT) compilation. So a box that takes Clozure Common Lisp and converts it to machine code is a compiler. A box that takes Clozure Common Lisp, feeds it into this compiler to obtain machine code, and executes this machine code immediately, is an interpreter, using JIT compilation to do its interpretation.
  - lispm 12y ago
    > An interpreter is a box that takes code in some programming language and executes it. The interpreter executes that language, not another. > A box that takes Clozure Common Lisp, feeds it into this compiler to obtain machine code, and executes this machine code immediately, is an interpreter, using JIT compilation to do its interpretation. It's neither an interpreter not using JIT compilation. It's an AOT compiler. It's just an incremental compiler.