Why C is the language of compilers- when a Scheme subset would seem to be a better fit?
c, compiler-construction, gcc, scheme
Solution
I won't bother to listen to 40 minutes of radio to perhaps understand your question more thoroughly, but I would claim the exact opposite. Only a minority of compilers are written in C. I rather have the impression that (at least where appropriate), most compilers are implemented in the language they are meant to compile.
Problem
I was just listening to episode 57 of Software Engineering Radio (TRANSCRIPT: http://www.se-radio.net/transcript-57-compiletime-metaprogramming ) I'm only 40 minutes in, but I'm wondering why C is the language of compilers- when a Scheme subset would seem to be a better fit? (or some other HLL) (excluding the obvious reason of not wanting to rewrite gcc) PS originally posted this at LtU http://lambda-the-ultimate.org/node/3754