Interesting coding idea

Perhaps it would be interesting to program a virtual machine simulating
an ancient computer (such as the pdp-7). Then, it would be rather
interesting to code for it (porting gcc to it maybe?). I think it would
be fun to play with the long-forgotten art of coding in machine language.

And what about a fictional computer, such as one that works on an
entirely different way (such as a non-binary computer)?

It wouldn't be very useful, but it wouold be a very fun and very
interesting thing to hack on.

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re: Interesting coding idea

On Sat, 23 Oct 2004 18:54:55 -0300, "Bruno R. Dias"
<bruno@octantis.com.br> wrote in comp.lang.c:
[color=blue]
> Perhaps it would be interesting to program a virtual machine simulating
> an ancient computer (such as the pdp-7). Then, it would be rather
> interesting to code for it (porting gcc to it maybe?). I think it would
> be fun to play with the long-forgotten art of coding in machine language.
>
> And what about a fictional computer, such as one that works on an
> entirely different way (such as a non-binary computer)?
>
> It wouldn't be very useful, but it wouold be a very fun and very
> interesting thing to hack on.[/color]

And what exactly does this have to do with the C language? I suspect
it is equally off-topic in comp.lang.python.

--
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re: Interesting coding idea

Bruno R. Dias wrote:[color=blue]
> Perhaps it would be interesting to program a virtual machine simulating
> an ancient computer (such as the pdp-7).[/color]

Google "PDP-7 emulator".

http://www.aracnet.com/~healyzh/pdp7emu.html


And this is off-topic to comp.lang.python

Andrew
dalke@dalkescientific.com

re: Interesting coding idea

Jack Klein wrote:
[color=blue]
> On Sat, 23 Oct 2004 18:54:55 -0300, "Bruno R. Dias"
> <bruno@octantis.com.br> wrote in comp.lang.c:
>
>[color=green]
>>Perhaps it would be interesting to program a virtual machine simulating
>>an ancient computer (such as the pdp-7). Then, it would be rather
>>interesting to code for it (porting gcc to it maybe?). I think it would
>>be fun to play with the long-forgotten art of coding in machine language.
>>
>>And what about a fictional computer, such as one that works on an
>>entirely different way (such as a non-binary computer)?
>>
>>It wouldn't be very useful, but it wouold be a very fun and very
>>interesting thing to hack on.[/color]
>
>
> And what exactly does this have to do with the C language? I suspect
> it is equally off-topic in comp.lang.python.
>[/color]
It would be *programmed* in a language, obviously. It's just that C is
rather appropriate for that kind of stuff, It's one of my favorite
languages, and It's a subject that should interest C programmers. The
same goes for Python.

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re: Interesting coding idea

On Sat, 23 Oct 2004 18:54:55 -0300, Bruno R Dias wrote:
[color=blue]
> Perhaps it would be interesting to program a virtual machine simulating
> an ancient computer (such as the pdp-7). Then, it would be rather
> interesting to code for it (porting gcc to it maybe?). I think it would
> be fun to play with the long-forgotten art of coding in machine language.[/color]

http://simh.trailing-edge.com

--
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(setq reply-to
(concatenate 'string "Paul Foley " "<mycroft" '(#\@) "actrix.gen.nz>"))

re: Interesting coding idea

Jack Klein wrote:[color=blue]
> <bruno@octantis.com.br> wrote in comp.lang.c:
>[color=green]
>> Perhaps it would be interesting to program a virtual machine
>> simulating an ancient computer (such as the pdp-7). Then, it
>> would be rather interesting to code for it (porting gcc to it
>> maybe?). I think it would be fun to play with the long-forgotten
>> art of coding in machine language.
>>
>> And what about a fictional computer, such as one that works on
>> an entirely different way (such as a non-binary computer)?
>>
>> It wouldn't be very useful, but it wouold be a very fun and
>> very interesting thing to hack on.[/color]
>
> And what exactly does this have to do with the C language? I
> suspect it is equally off-topic in comp.lang.python.[/color]

If he moves to alt.folklore.computers, he will find plenty of
people who have programmed such beasts, and even be on-topic.
Follow-ups set.

--
Chuck F (cbfalconer@yahoo.com) (cbfalconer@worldnet.att.net)
Available for consulting/temporary embedded and systems.
<http://cbfalconer.home.att.net> USE worldnet address!

re: Interesting coding idea

"Bruno R. Dias" <bruno@octantis.com.br> wrote[color=blue]
>[color=green][color=darkred]
> >>And what about a fictional computer, such as one that works on an
> >>entirely different way (such as a non-binary computer)?[/color][/color]
>
> It would be *programmed* in a language, obviously. It's just that C is
> rather appropriate for that kind of stuff, It's one of my favorite
> languages, and It's a subject that should interest C programmers. The
> same goes for Python.
>[/color]
Just because a program could be implemented in C doesn't make it on-topic
for comp.lang.c. However "is C the the most appropriate language for this
program?" is probably topical.

There are plenty of emulators out there, an emulator is not an especially
difficult program to write, and it is often useful. For instance if you want
to play 80's vintage Spectrum games from the comfort of your PC it is
possible using emulation software and program dumps (it is illegal to sell
such dumps unless you own the copyright, it is OK to make a copy of a game
you own for personal use, taking a copy from a friend without payment is a
grey area).

An interesting project would be a Fibonnaci computer. Instead of using a
exponent-based system (binary, decimal, hex etc) you represent numbers as
Fibonnaci sequences. This has some interesting properties, for instance
there are never two consecutive 1s in a valid number.

re: Interesting coding idea

Malcolm wrote:
<snip>[color=blue]
> An interesting project would be a Fibonnaci computer. Instead of using a
> exponent-based system (binary, decimal, hex etc) you represent numbers as
> Fibonnaci sequences. This has some interesting properties, for instance
> there are never two consecutive 1s in a valid number.[/color]

It would be a bitch to code for such a machine, but it sure would be
interesting.

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!O M-- V--PS++ PE++ Y>+ PGP>+ t++(+++) 5? X R+ tv@ b+++@ DI++++ D--- G+
e- h! r-- y
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re: Interesting coding idea

On Sat, 23 Oct 2004 18:54:55 -0300, Bruno R. Dias <bruno@octantis.com.br> wrote:[color=blue]
> Perhaps it would be interesting to program a virtual machine simulating
> an ancient computer (such as the pdp-7). Then, it would be rather
> interesting to code for it (porting gcc to it maybe?). I think it would
> be fun to play with the long-forgotten art of coding in machine language.[/color]

If you want to have fun coding in machine language, why not see whether
you can squeeze Python into a 68H05 (or something close to that number)?

That is a popular micro controller that can be programmed in BASIC.
Obviously, if it could be programmed in Python, it would be much easier
to use :-)


Albert
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