Macros Matter: infrastructure for building new programming languages

Building new programming languages from whole cloth is a difficult proposition at best. Macro system provide an alternative; they support the construction of new programming languages from existing existing pieces, while still providing the flexibility to radically change the syntax and semantics of the programming language.

In this talk, Robby Findler, associate professor of electrical engineering and computer science at Northwestern University, will give a high-level overview of the research area of macros, showing what can be accomplished with them and introducing some of the technical challenges they pose.

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Education

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• Robby Findler

[grunder20]

A big shot at programming. Good man.

[studio2437]

Professor Findler gives a 50,000ft timeline of the development of macros in programming languages, culminating with the "Macro Writer's Bill of Rights" (Kent Dybvig), and then fleshes out the case for macros with the demonstration of a ripple adder, modeled in a language Robby wrote over the course of several commutes using the DrScheme programming language development environment. The PLT group continue to innovate and impress.