link to book in read me

and general improvements/updates

README.md

@@ -3,25 +3,28 @@
 
 Salama is about native code generation in and of ruby.
 
-It is probably best to read the book first. 
+It is probably best to read the [The Book](http://dancinglightning.gitbooks.io/the-object-machine/content/) first.
 
-Currently the work is to get the styetm to bootstrap, ie produce and executable that does what the ruby code says.
+Currently the work is to get the system to bootstrap, ie produce and executable that does what the ruby code says.
 
-Later that executable nneds to extend itself, but to do so cwill be able to use the same code.
+Later that executable needs to extend itself, but to do so it will be able to use the same code.
 
 ## Done
 
+ Some things that are finished (for *a* definition of finished, ie started)
+
 ### Assembly
 
-Produce binary that represents code. 
-Traditionally called assembling, but there is no need for an external file representation. 
+Produce binary that represents code.
+Traditionally called assembling, but there is no need for an external file representation.
 
-Most instructions are in fact assembling correctly. Meaning i have tests, and i can use objbump to verify the correct assembler code is disasembled
+Most instructions are in fact assembling correctly. Meaning i have tests, and i can use objdump to
+verify the correct assembler code is disassembled
 
 I even polished the dsl and so (from the tests), this is a valid hello world:
 
     hello = "Hello World\n"
-    @program.main do 
+    @program.main do
       mov r7, 4     # 4 == write
       mov r0 , 1    # stdout
       add r1 , pc , hello   # address of "hello World"
@@ -30,7 +33,7 @@ I even polished the dsl and so (from the tests), this is a valid hello world:
       mov r7, 1     # 1 == exit
     	swi 0
     end
-    write(7 + hello.length/4 + 1 , 'hello') 
+    write(7 + hello.length/4 + 1 , 'hello')
 
 ### Linking
 
@@ -47,7 +50,7 @@ Mainly file open and read, exit, that kind of thing. Looking at libc implementat
 kernel "api" docs, this is quite simple to do.
 
 As said, "Hello world" comes out and does use syscall 4.
-Also the program stops by syscall exit. 
+Also the program stops by syscall exit.
 The full list is on the net and involves mostly just work.
 
 ### Parse ruby
@@ -57,7 +60,7 @@ Parse simple code, using Parslet. This has been seperated out as it's own gem, s
 Parsing is a surprisingly fiddly process, very space and order sensitive. But Parslet is great and simple
 expressions (including function definitions and calls) are starting to work.
 
-I spent some time on the parse testing framework, so it is safe to fiddle and add. 
+I spent some time on the parse testing framework, so it is safe to fiddle and add.
 In fact it is very modular and  so ot is easy to add.
 
 ### Virtual: Compile the Ast
@@ -71,25 +74,45 @@ but failed. The current Virtual directory represent a machine with basic oo feat
 Instead of having more Layers to go from virtual to arm, i opted to have passes that go over the data structure
 and modify it.
 
-This allows optimisation after every pass as we have a data structure at every point in time.
+This allows optimization after every pass as we have a data structure at every point in time.
+
+### Parfait - the runtime
+
+After an initial phase where i aimed for a **really** really small run-time, i have now started to
+implement a more decent set classes and functions. This is a process off course.
+
+I was encouraged by the thought that a large amount of the run-time code can actually be
+reused at compile time, by using inlining. That off course assumes that i figure out how to do
+inlining, but i have at least an idea.
 
 
-## Status - Dynmic function lookup
+### Sof
 
-It proved to be quite a big step to go from static function calling to oo method lookup. Also ruby is very 
-introspective and that means much of the compiled code needs to be accessible in the runtime (not just present,
- accessible).
- 
-This has teken me the better part of three months, but is starting to come around.
+**S**alama **O**bject **F**ile format is a yaml ike format to look at code dumps and help testing.
+The dumper is ok and does produce (as intended) considerably denser dumps than yaml
 
-So the current staus is that i can 
+When a reader is done (not started) the idea is to use sof as pre-compiled, language independent
+exchange format, have the core read that, and use the mechanism to achieve language independence.
+
+## Status - Dynmaic function lookup
+
+It proved to be quite a big step to go from static function calling to oo method lookup.
+Also ruby is very introspective and that means much of the compiled code needs to be accessible
+in the runtime (not just present, accessible).
+
+This has taken me the better part of a year, but is starting to come around.
+
+So the current status is that i can
 
 - parse a usable subset of ruby
 - compile that to my vm model
 - generate assembler for all higher level constructs in the vm model
-- assemle and link the code and objects (strings/arrays/hashes) into an executable
+- assemble and link the code and objects (strings/arrays/hashes) into an executable
 - run the executable and debug :-(
 
+PS: the current current status (05/15) is that even that is broken as i am reworking the run-time.
+But i am hopefull.
+
 ## Future
 
 #### Blocks
@@ -99,21 +122,21 @@ but i have a general notion that blocks are "just" methods with even more implic
 
 #### Exceptions
 
-Implement Exceptions. Conceptionally this is not so difficult in an oo machine as it would be in c.
+Implement Exceptions. Conceptually this is not so difficult in an oo machine as it would be in c.
 
-I have a post about it http://salama.github.io/2014/06/27/an-exceptional-though.html
+I have a post [about it](http://salama.github.io/2014/06/27/an-exceptional-though.html)
 
-which boild down to the fact that we can treat the address to return to in an exception quite
+which boils down to the fact that we can treat the address to return to in an exception quite
 like a return address from a function. Ie just another implicit parameter
 (as return is really an implicit parameter, a little like self for oo)
 
 ### C linking
 
-Implement a way to call libc and other c libraries. I am not placing a large emphasis on this personally, 
-but excpect somebody will come along and have library they want to use so much they can't stop themselves. 
+Implement a way to call libc and other c libraries. I am not placing a large emphasis on this personally,
+but expect somebody will come along and have library they want to use so much they can't stop themselves.
 Personally i think a fresh start is what we need much more. I once counted the call chain from a simple
-printf to the actual kernel invocation in some libc once and it was getting to 10! I hope with dynamic (re)compiling
-we can do better than that.
+printf to the actual kernel invocation in some libc, and it was getting to 10!
+I hope with dynamic (re)compiling and intelligent inlining, we can do better than that.
 
 ### Stary sky
 
@@ -122,7 +145,7 @@ Iterate:
 1. more cpus (ie intel)
 2. more systems (ie mac)
 3. more syscalls, there are after all some hundreds
-4. Ruby is full of nicities that are not done, also negative tests are non existant
+4. Ruby is full of niceties that are not done, also negative tests are non existant
 5. A lot of modern cpu's functionality has to be mapped to ruby and implemented in assembler to be useful
 6. Different sized machines, with different register types ?
 7.  on 64bit, there would be 8 bits for types and thus allow for rational, complex, and whatnot
@@ -130,7 +153,8 @@ Iterate:
 9. Any amount of time could be spent on a decent digital tree (see judy). Or possibly Dr.Cliffs hash.
 10. Also better string/arrays would be good.
 11. The minor point of threads and hopefully lock free primitives to deal with that.
-12. Inlining would be good
+12. Other languages, python at least, maybe others
+13. translation of the vm instructions to another vm, say js
 
 And generally optimize and work towards that perfect world (we never seem to be able to attain).
 
@@ -138,7 +162,7 @@ And generally optimize and work towards that perfect world (we never seem to be
 
 Contributing to salama
 -----------------------
- 
+
 Probably best to talk to me, if it's not a typo or so.
 
 I do have a todo, for the adventurous.
@@ -149,4 +173,3 @@ Fork and create a branch before sending pulls.
 
 Copyright (c) 2014 Torsten Ruger. See LICENSE.txt for
 further details.
-