C++ casting operators
Today in my research, I came across an interesting challenge. I’m editing an older version of JavaScriptCore (JSC), redefining the most basic typedef in the sytem, EncodedJSValue. Previously it was a simple void*, but I need to gift it with…
Flexible Iterators
Java has some odd quirks which make it far more inflexible than it needs to be. For example, many programs have data structures which need to be iterated both forwards and backwards, and some algorithms require treating the first or…
Notes: CSTA CS+IT Conference
Today I attended the 2012 ACM Computer Science and Information Technology Conference. It was focused heavily on the advocacy of teaching Computer Science material in the K-12 system. I most liked the fact that every session I attended have some…
Nanopass Compiler
Through a friend, I got hold of a provocative paper A Nanopass Framework for Compiler Education, by Sarkar, Waddell, and Dybvig. They describe a compiler written in scheme that makes 50ish passes. Each pass is described as a language transform,…
Embedded Languages
I don’t like them. I’ve ranted before about how the Web is a festering polyglot made horrific by Postel’s Law. Many, including Tim Bray, advocate more knowledge at the client end, when an error occurs in parsing the steaming pile…
Scaling Automated CS Education
The success of Salman Kahn’s Academy and other instances of disruptive education, have started me thinking about how computer science education might scale. Let’s first analyze how Kahn is organizing the learning experience. First: Have a huge collection of videos….
Measuring Effectiveness of a Domain Specific Language
Also, at CGO I met Hassan Chafi, who is working on a graph-based Domain Specific Language. Even though I never seem to find time that I can explicitly devote to studying them, DSL’s are, to me, an compulsively fascinating topic….
Express yourself: to the compiler and to your fellow developer.
The keynote speaker at CGO 2012 (Chris Lattner, LLVM) put some crazy thoughts into my head. Want compiler to know about: memory disjointness aliasing Usage of data structures (array of struct vs struct of arrays) whether arithmetic is done on…
Information Uncertainty Principle
Through Denning’s Presentation Great Principles of Computing I heard of this fascinating tale regarding Buridan’s ass. It refers to a hypothetical situation wherein an ass is placed precisely midway between a stack of hay and a pail of water. Since…
Segregate Third-Party JS Libraries
Typically, web authors simply load whatever library they’d like to use with full trust. In JS, such loading amounts essentially to a #include. I’m flabbergasted that this practice remains normal. It could be paranoia, but even without invoking all the…