How was the first compiler compiled?

[758]

Alright, I was born in 90, and I have been working with computers since.....I could talk!!!! And I have never seen anything other than a compiler, and if anyone here can write binary code or even assembly code, then man, your smarts sure has surpassed mine by a LONG SHOT! congrats!!
I don't think I have ever met a programmer that can write machine code either....

[bidi]

I don't think I have ever met a programmer that can write machine code either....

I remember one time reading a story that Linus, at first, wrote all his programs in machine code as a kid.

And you'd be amazed at what you can do with assembly:
http://www.menuetos.net/

[CodeRoot]

I don't think I have ever met a programmer that can write machine code either....

"Nice to meet you..."

[CodeRoot]

I remember one time reading a story that Linus, at first, wrote all his programs in machine code as a kid.

Sounds about right -- I would have no problem believing that... (especially, considering the hardware he would have been writing code for)

[apoorv_khurasia]

Born in 1984 and never seen those old computers in real. But got a taste of assembly programming in my architecture course and then really thanked the guys who write/wrote the compilers. The most daunting task for us would be to look at a piece of assembly code (we used MIPS) and tell what was it trying to do and then debug it accordingly. Since it was an introductory class these codes were quite small and simple (usually moving things around, sorting them and so on...). But then we were shown some of the very old codes done to predict the trajectory of a missile and I (don't know abt others) was horrfied by the sheer length of code. Consider debugging that code even if you had written it all by yourself --no comments, markups or fancy names mind you. And then imagine this:- we did all assembly programming in MIPS, if there were no compilers then would somebody like to do that in x86??? Today we can make complicated processors, make dual core systems, do distributed computing or super-computing all because we have access to a program written to translate human readable code to machine readable code and that too efficiently. I have enormous respect for these programs and hence anyone who has "lived" will have more respect than I can ever have.

[Krendoshazin]

It's pretty simple really, a compiler compiles code to assembly (machine code) so that it runs on a cpu, however there was a time compilers didn't exist, and people used assembly for what was relatively simple hardware.
A language exists purely within the compiler, "when this is inputted, output this", so you code a program in assembly in order to accept a human readable language and output assembly.

The language itself has to be created on the spot, as long as it assembles in a predictable manner, then the task is complete. In time the language can be further expanded, and this is exactly what dennis ritchie did when he created C, he added to it as he went along.

And that's the story of compilers. Perhaps this will also help explain why "any old compiler" won't do.