Compiler Studying

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As mentioned in the previous posts, I've kept my word and have been reading about compilers. Still got a massive way to go, but I understand grammars to the point where I know how they are implemented and whatnot.

I've also realised it's tough, time-consuming and pointless to reinvent the wheel when creating a parser when there are much quicker options available. I've been playing with ANTLR a little, and YACC is on the backburner to try out.

I've also looked into top-down parsing (LR), and I really love how it recursively parses grammar!

To me it's almost an art form.

While on the topic of books, 2 days ago I received the infamous DRAGON BOOK (albeit an old edition - only cost £3 though!) and the CLRS Introduction to Algorithms 3rd Ed (only £12!)

egan (attempting) to read the dragon book from the beginning, only 20 pages in so far but it's quite interesting. Much better than my course recommended book of 'Algorithms for Compiler Design' which seems to chuck algs in your face without explaining them - it's probably not aimed at beginners - in which case I'm clueless as to why my lecturer recommended it for a 2nd year undergrad compilers course.

I've also briefly skimmed through CLRS, I like the mathematical approach to algs, which seems to be more of a rarity on the internet, however their pseudocode could use some work - it's way too high level. Luckily I have another algs book to back it up with (and, not forgetting, the internet).

Links:

http://learntocompile.blogspot.co.uk/
http://www.reddit.com/r/compsci/comments/wbvkb/is_the_cs_degree_worth_it/c5c17q7
http://www.antlr.org/wiki/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=789

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