Re: spec for VM or language

From: Bill Pugh (pugh@cs.umd.edu)
Date: Fri Jun 25 1999 - 11:47:37 EDT


At 7:50 PM +0000 6/24/99, David G. Wonnacott wrote:
>Is there some reason to consider (a) two provably equivalent models,
>(b) one unified model (the current state of affairs?), and (c) a JVM
>model and a statement that the JLS model is whatever translates into
>the JVM model, but not (d) a JLS model and a rule of the form "any
>compiler/JVM pair must preserve this model".
>
> >From (d) we would then derive a rule about the standard JVM that
>ensures any bytecodes are compilant, but we also have the option of
>producing more sophisticated compiler/JVM variants, based on future
>experience (these could even become parts of future versions of the
>JVM standard).

The problem is that compilers and VM's don't come in matched pairs.
Bytecode generated by any compiler should run on any JVM.

> Variants would have to tag bytecodes to make sure they
>weren't executed in a mismatched JVM, but I assume there's already a
>mechanism for this.

It wouldn't be valid Java is tags changed the semantics of the bytecodes.

        Bill Pugh

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