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Hans Aberg <[log in to unmask]>
Wed, 1 Jul 1998 12:21:33 +0200
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  I wonder why people are so against building several development levels,
because this is the normal way computer programming is structured otherwise:

  The lowest level is the assembler which expands to simple machine
instructions. On top of that, one might build a language like C, which does
not impose runtime checks and itself is compiled, not interpreted. Then on
top of that, one might build a more advanced language with runtime checks,
and often C is a language to use for writing that language. Finally this
more advanced language can be used to build user applications.

  Similarly, in TeX the assembler might correspond to the most lowlevel
macros. It would be great if one could add some kind of C compiler on top
of that, which does not add much runtime overhead. The more advanced
language might correspond to LaTeX itself, which is used by the user and by
adding high level structures.

  I gather L3PL is intended to correspond to this lowest assembler level,
but I think it would help if one could add a C-level, that is, if it does
not add much overhead.

  Hans Aberg
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