17

My favorite paradox:

What came first, the compiler or the source code?

Comments
  • 0
    @NoNameCode then what compiled it?
  • 4
    Source code, because source code later gets compiled into an executable. Not really a paradox imo
  • 0
    @aplp yeah but where did the compiler come from?
  • 5
    The real story is that the first steps to writing the first c compiler is that he used assembly to write the first simple compiler, than used that with some c to write a better compiler - loop this few more times => c compiler.

    Kind of like use a tool to make a better tool
  • 3
    @juzles like using a rock as a hammer to make a hammer 😊
  • 0
    people used to write instrunctions code direct to memory by flipping switches like in altair 8800
  • 0
    Back in the day I used punch cards to make my first compiler.

    (Not a true story)
  • 0
    First came the instructions, then the compiler, then the human readable source code.
  • 0
    Isn't the swift compiler written in swift too? I seem to remember Siracusa talking about it at one point.
  • 1
    in the specific order
    if you have to make things ground up

    transistors and logic --> microprogram logic --> assembler --> compiler --> interpreters --> text editor --> source code
Add Comment