Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sdd.hp.com!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!jarthur!uunet!microsoft!jimad From: jimad@microsoft.UUCP (Jim ADCOCK) Newsgroups: comp.lang.c++ Subject: Re: THE definite refernece to C++ Message-ID: <58049@microsoft.UUCP> Date: 8 Oct 90 19:01:38 GMT References: <90279.164521L98CC@CUNYVM.BITNET> Reply-To: jimad@microsoft.UUCP (Jim ADCOCK) Organization: Microsoft Corp., Redmond WA Lines: 26 In article <90279.164521L98CC@CUNYVM.BITNET> writes: >Which book is the definte reference to C++ language that is comprehensive >enough to derive a compiler from? None, which is at least in part why there is a language standardization effort going on. However, the book that is by far the closest to meeting these goals is: The Annotated C++ Reference Manual Ellis & Stroustrup Addison-Wesley 1990 ISBN 0-201-51459-1 Serious compiler implementers look at this manual, compare their implementation against other C++ compilers -- particularly the latest cfront implementation, check to see whether well known libraries and programs compile and execute correctly when compiled by their compiler, compare their implementation against the ANSI-C specs as a secondary reference, subordinate to the above mentioned manual, and join the language standardization committee to keep abreast of developments and areas of disagreement.... Good Luck! [PS: Not a compiler implementor, but I know some people who are trying :-]