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binary0010 2 hours ago

Not really.

I can make a c compiler in a couple weeks just by looking up open source libraries and copying them.

I can't make any software that people will pay me money to use without taking months/years of development, research, expiramentation and iteration.

Just because the original people who invented compilers had to be genius, doesn't mean anyone has to spend much time or thought in copying that work now.

YZF 2 minutes ago | parent | next [-]

I built a compiler for a simpler language as part of my compilers course in a CS degree. It was a non-trivial exercise well beyond the majority of software applications. What open source libraries did you have in mind and what are you copying?

If you can truly write a C compiler in weeks then kudos to you. How many compilers have you written so far for how many languages?

I work for big tech and I would say a large % of developers are incapable of producing a working C compiler on any reasonable time scale, certainly not weeks, even with looking at open source. I'm sure they can download one and run it. Most developers today don't even know C or assembler. They don't know how to approach the C language spec. The top 5-10% of developers/engineers can do it but even for them it's non-trivial.

2 hours ago | parent | prev [-]
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