Machine structure oriented control code logic

Abstract

Control code is a concept that is closely related to a frequently occurring practitioner's view on what is a program: code that is capable of controlling the behaviour of some machine. We present a logical approach to explain issues concerning control codes that are independent of the details of the behaviours that are controlled. Using this approach, such issues can be explained at a very abstract level. We illustrate this among other things by means of an example about the production of a new compiler from an existing one. The approach is based on abstract machine models, called machine structures. We introduce a model of execution environments for the executable codes of machine structures and use it to go into portability of control codes.

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Preprint available: arXiv:0711.0836 [cs.SE]