A NELIAC generated 7090-1401 compiler

NELIAC systems for several different machines have been generated using the original NELIAC system developed at the Naval Electronics Laboratory, San Diego, in 1958. A basic “bootstrap” process was used to generate all but the first, i.e., the systems were described in the NELIAC language and generated by an existing NELIAC compiler. This experience proved there was no inherent difficulty in “building compilers with compilers;” indeed, it pointed out many advantages in using a POL for constructing programming systems. This report presents the results of a project completed in April, 1961, in which the NELIAC system was used to generate a compiler for the IBM 1401. The 1401 compiler, which runs on the 7090 and produces 1401 programs, was described in the NELIAC language and generated with the 7090 NELIAC system. The reduction in programming time and the improvement in documentation of the system were very significant.