From mend0070 at tc.umn.edu Thu May 3 13:12:30 2001 From: mend0070 at tc.umn.edu (Phil Mendelsohn) Date: Mon Jan 17 14:29:20 2005 Subject: [TCLUG-DEVEL] Scriptor machinalis: call for participants In-Reply-To: Message-ID: I have a nutty project in mind -- a couple of you have heard me babble about it. Here's my idea: I want to write a Latin compiler. This will take programs written in Latin and convert them into machine executable code. This started as a joke of mine. It is often said that Latin is a dead language. One could also say that assembly or machine language is dead. In both cases, it is no longer necessary to learn either for everyday life, but those that have experience in either tend to have a little deeper appreciation of some things. So, the (really abstract geek) joke is that it would be good to combine the two and program in Latin. This is useless, of course, but would have the following side-effects: 1: Provide an educational opportunity in compilers / compiler design 2: Provide an educational opportunity in low-level machine programming 3: Provide an educational opportunity in Latin (small) and a first-look at writing a programming language. 4: Provide me a chance to play with open source, team based software development. (Obviously, this is not as selfish as it sounds.) 5: Provide the chance to learn to do pointer arithmetic in Roman Numerals. 6: Give big time geek bragging rights to particpants. If anyone here is an SCA type (I'm not) I would think this is a good way to earn a merit badge. I know there are a few folks in or around the TCLUG that would either make good "elmers" (a more expert person who's willing to help the less experienced learn, for those of you who have never hung around with ham radio types) or just be good company while firing a few of the surplus neurons we seem to have on the list. If anyone is interested, drop me a line, eh? It'd be great if we could get a quorum! Phil Mendelsohn -- Nunc hoc in marmore non est incisum. --'now this isn't engraved in stone'