Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!lll-winken!lll-tis!ames!amdahl!apple!dan
From: dan@Apple.COM (Dan Allen)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.programmer
Subject: Re: Knowing Machine Code
Message-ID: <11962@apple.Apple.COM>
Date: 10 Jun 88 16:54:11 GMT
References: <11093@apple.Apple.Com> <17030002@hpsmtc1.HP.COM>
Reply-To: dan@apple.apple.com.UUCP (Dan Allen)
Organization: Apple Computer Inc, Cupertino, CA
Lines: 22

The suggestion has been made that rather than using assembly language we
should just make fast compilers.

Agreed.

They should be fast in compiling as well as generate fast code.  These
are great and noble goals which I have never seen realized.  Of the
compilers that I am familiar with, they always are generating wasted
code like MOVE.W D1,D0 followed by MOVE.W D0,D1 and the like.  They are
(except for the Turbo Pascals of the world) always excruciatingly slow.
They seem to offer little advantage over the problems of speed.  What
they do offer, of course, is a higher level of abstraction that is very
important and desirable.

I will retract my statement about the necessity of knowing assembly
language when someone can show me a compiler that generates great code
in a very quick turnaround.  Until then I at least need to know and use
assembly.  Perhaps quick turnaround and good code are mutually exclusive
and if that is true, then assembly will be here forever. And ever. Amen.
(Apologies to Randy Travis)

Dan Allen
Apple Computer