
Reductio ad absurdum – writing a single-instruction C compiler [video] - icebraining
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmWwRmvjAE8
======
utopcell
If anything, this video showcases the importance of doing proper bibliographic
research before working on a new problem. SISC (single instruction set
computer) or OISC (One Instruction Set Computer) have been in Hennessy and
Patterson for dozens of years.

~~~
describrion
Except, that wasn't at all the point of this presentation...

------
Kapura
It's theoretically interesting up until the point where he starts eliminating
registers and moving things to memory addresses. Main memory is
_significantly_ slower to access than in-processor registers. Granted, if you
are taking the mov-only computation engine to it's logical conclusion (as
Domas does) you may be able to speed up the hardware architecture to
compensate for these losses, but is there anything of actionable value to gain
from such a process?

(i did really enjoy the talk, fwiw)

~~~
qubex
OISC (One Instruction Set Computing) is a well-known concept in theoretical
computer science. It is not considered an avenue for for performance
computing.

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_instruction_set_computer?w...](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_instruction_set_computer?wprov=sfti1)

------
icebraining
The actual compiler has been discussed in the past on HN [1][2], but I thought
the talk was an well structured explanation of the process, and more
interesting than the compiler itself.

[1]
[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=12372242](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=12372242)

[2]
[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10021259](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10021259)

------
adrianN
I wonder whether mov-oriented programming would a useful obfuscation technique
for malware authors. I'd assume that typical disassemblers are not very
helpful.

~~~
missjellyfish
There is the demovfuscator, which de-obfuscates movfuscated programs
reasonably well. This work was actually done by friends of mine; see their
talk here: [https://recon.cx/2016/talks/"Movfuscator-Be-
Gone.html](https://recon.cx/2016/talks/"Movfuscator-Be-Gone.html)

~~~
MaxBarraclough
Interesting, thanks for the link!

Was just about to ask if such a project exists.

I wonder if there are other OISC architectures that are harder to 'decompile'.

------
igravious
More Reductio ad singulum than Reductio ad absurdum :)

