[cctalk] Re: Elliott Algol

[Paul Koning via cctalk]

> On Feb 16, 2025, at 5:30 PM, paul.kimpel--- via cctalk 
> <cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote:
> 
> The question concerned good ALGOL code generation, not the feasibility of 
> ALGOL code generation.

I know that, but just as RISC machines can run very fast no matter what 
applications you feed them, compilers created with skill can produce excellent 
code no matter the target machine.

ALGOL running on a machine designed for the language is likely to be shorter, 
but not necessarily faster.  For example, the EL-X8 has an addressing  mode for 
resolving references through the "display" of static scopes in what looks like 
a single operation.  But just as "single" CISC instrutions under the cover 
require a lot of work, so does that addressing mode.  The same thing, expanded 
out to its atomic elements in a RISC instruction set, certainly requires a half 
dozen instructions but they will probably run just as fast.

        paul