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Polymorphic programming II. An orthogonal tagged high level architecture abstract machine
Author(s) -
Gunn Hamish I. E.,
Harlan David M.
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
software: practice and experience
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.437
H-Index - 70
eISSN - 1097-024X
pISSN - 0038-0644
DOI - 10.1002/spe.4380141103
Subject(s) - computer science , architecture , programming language , field (mathematics) , data structure , data type , theoretical computer science , artificial intelligence , mathematics , art , pure mathematics , visual arts
Abstract This paper describes the implementation of a very powerful high level language from the standpoint of those features rarely found in other languages. These are constancy, polymorphism, user‐defined types, orthogonal data structures, and field selectors and routines as assignable values. It examines the characteristics of these features in order to show how they are implemented. They greatly influence the architecture of the underlying abstract machine which is described. Finally the paper highlights several important instructions such as those for routine calling and data structure management. It also shows how the list as a data type in a language can be exploited in the implementation of assignment and parameter passing.