Selected Papers on Computer Languages

by Donald E. Knuth

Overview

This volume, sixth in a series of collected works by world-renowned computer scientist Donald E. Knuth, assembles approximately two dozen of his pioneering contributions to the field of computer languages, including papers on ALGOL, SOL, Runcible, and FORTRAN. Papers on the early development of programming languages, the history of writing compilers, the characterization of parenthesis languages, and the semantics of context-free languages are also included.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781575863818
Publisher:	Center for the Study of Language and Inf
Publication date:	10/01/2002
Series:	Lecture Notes , #139
Edition description:	1
Pages:	610
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.50(d)

About the Author

Donald E. Knuth is one of the world's pre-eminent computer scientists, whose works have had a profound influence on the subject since the publication in 1968 of the first volume of The Art of Computer Programming. Knuth created TeX, a language for typesetting mathematical and scientific texts, and METAFONT, a computer software system for alphabet design. He is professor emeritus at Stanford University.

Table of Contents

1. The Early Development of Programming Languages
2. Backus Normal Form versus Backus Naur Form
3. Teaching ALGOL 60
4. ALGOL 60 Confidential
5. SMALGOL-61
6. Man or Boy?
7. A Proposal for Input-Output Conventions in ALGOL 60
8. The Remaining Trouble Spots in ALGOL 60
9. SOL – A Symbolic Language for Systems Simulation
10. A Formal Definition of SOL
11. The Science of Programming Languages
12. Programming Languages for Automata
13. A Characterization of Parenthesis Languages
14. Top-Down Syntax Analysis
15. On the Translation of Languages from Left to Right
16. Context-Free Multilanguages
17. Semantics of Context-Free Languages
18. Examples of Formal Semantics
19. The Genesis of Attribute Grammars
20. A History of Writing Compilers
21. RUNCIBLE – Algebraic Translation on a Limited Computer
22. Computer-Drawn Flowcharts
23. Notes on Avoiding ‘go to’ Statements
24. An Empirical Study of FORTRAN Programs
25. Efficient Coroutine Generation of Constrained Gray Sequences
Index