An analysis of C machine support for other block-structured languages

ABSTRACT

Although the C machine proposed by Ditzel (et al.) was originally intended to execute the C programming language, its utility would be enhanced if it could also execute programs written in other languages. Of particular interest is the Ada programming language, in part because it is likely to be a standard for government work, but more importantly because its support requirements are typical of many modern languages such as CHILL, MESA, EUCLID, MODULA, and others. The most salient characteristics of the C machine, e.g. its stack cache and address modes, are seen to map well onto the Ada language. In fact, many of the arguments for these features are more compelling for the Ada language than they are for C. One exception is the way the stack cache may perform on a heavily multi-tasked program, but there is no obvious solution to this, even on much more complex machines like the VAX11-780.

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