Micro Spitbol

TL;DR

This paper presents a compact implementation of the SPITBOL language for microcomputers, emphasizing automated techniques for portability and discussing a theoretical problem related to code compression in interpreters.

Contribution

It introduces a largely automatic method for creating portable SPITBOL implementations on microcomputers, including an initial implementation on a 65K byte minicomputer.

Findings

Successful development of a compact SPITBOL system for microcomputers

Discussion of automatic implementation techniques for portability

Analysis of a theoretical problem in code compression for interpreters

Abstract

A compact version of MACRO SPITBOL, a compiler/ interpreter for a variant of SNOBOL4, has been developed for use on microcomputer systems. The techniques for producing an implementation are largely automatic in order to preserve the integrity and portability of the SPITBOL system. These techniques are discussed along with a description of an initial implementation on a 65K byte minicomputer. An interesting theoretical problem which arises when using procedures which compact the interpretive object code is also analyzed.