About a new HLL

Michael Hooker mhooker@extro.ucc.su.oz.au
Mon, 08 Jan 1996 01:11:28 +1100


Carlos Querol wrote:
> 
> Just tossing in some spare change.
> (and testing that my reply/post is working :-)
> 
> I have (since before java came on the scene) believed that the future
> of program execution lies in "byte code" compiled programs executing
> on a portable interpreter.  It would be nice to be able to port an OS
> to a new platform and have the (compiled) programs from all the other
> existing platforms execute without modification.  The traditional
> arguments against this is that it adds overhead to the program (due
> to the byte code interpeter layer).  But today (and in the future)
> the rise of distributed systems would make this a requirement for
> successful application execution accross hetergeneous environments.
> Along these lines, a question:  Does any one know how Plan 9
> distributes process execution to the compute servers?  I have read
> the FAQ (admitedly a while ago) and found no reference to this.  I am
> wondering if they set up a transparent execution layer, or if the
> process has to exist as a binary the compute server can execute.
> 

Plan 9 Keeps a bin directory for all the different processor types then
it binds that directory (the one for the local processor onto bin).

I can go into more depth if you like :)

Michael