Christophe de Dinechin
Christophe de Dinechin | |
|---|---|
| Born | |
| Occupation | Computer scientist |
| Known for | XL programming language Alpha Waves HP Integrity Virtual Machines |
Christophe de Dinechin is a French computer scientist, with contributions in video games, programming languages and operating systems.
Programming languages
Dinechin contributed to C++, notably a high-performance exception handling implementation[1] that became a de facto standard in the industry.[2] de Dinechin was one of the proponents of a portable C++ ABI, initially developed for Itanium, but now widely used across platforms.[3]
XL programming language
Dinechin is the designer of the XL programming language and associated concept programming methodology.[4] "XL" is named for "eXtensible Language".
XL features programmer-reconfigurable syntax and semantics. Compiler plug-ins can be used to add new features to the language. A base set of plug-ins implements a relatively standard imperative language. Programmers can write their own plug-ins to implement application-specific notations, such as symbolic differentiation, which can then be used as readily as built-in language features.
Similar works
There are projects that exploit similar ideas to create code with higher level of abstraction. Among them are:
- Intentional programming
- Language-oriented programming
- Literate programming
- Model-driven architecture
Video games
As initial developer of Alpha Waves, a "groundbreaking" Atari ST game (probably the first 3D platform game), de Dinechin heavily influenced Frederick Raynal, the main developer of Alone in the Dark.[5] de Dinechin also wrote a few viral games for HP-48 calculators,[6][7] and was the first person to take advantage of hardware-scrolling on these machines.[8]
Operating systems design
In the early 2000s, he worked as a software architect for HP-UX,[9] and was the initial designer of HP's virtualisation platform for Itanium servers, HP Integrity Virtual Machines. He was awarded 10 US patents for this work.[10]
Other work
Christophe de Dinechin did the initial port of Emacs to the Aqua user interface.[11] He wrote a variety of open-source drivers for the HP DE200C Digital Entertainment Center,[12] turning it from a web-connected CD Player into a true digital video recorder.
Christophe de Dinechin is currently CEO of Taodyne, a company that develops a 3D animation tool, using his XL programming language to describe dynamic documents.[13]
References
- ^ de Dinechin, Christophe (October 2000). "C++ exception handling for IA-64" (PDF). IEEE Concurrency. 8 (4). ACM: 72–79. doi:10.1109/4434.895109. Retrieved 24 February 2014.
- ^ Bocci, Andrea (1 April 2004). "Exception Handling How To". Retrieved 24 February 2014.
- ^ "C++ ABI Summary". Mentor Graphics. March 2001. Retrieved 24 February 2014.
- ^ Manchester, Phil (16 January 2008). "Dip into Concept Programming". The Register. Retrieved 3 February 2010.
- ^ Loguidice, Bill; Barton, Matt (2009). Vintage Games: An Insider Look at the History of Grand Theft Auto, Super Mario, and the Most Influential Games of All Time. Taylor & Francis. p. 6. ISBN 9780240811468.
- ^ "Lemmings for HP-48". HPCalc.org. Retrieved 24 February 2014.
- ^ "PacMan for HP-48". HPCalc.org. Retrieved 24 February 2014.
- ^ "Interview de Paul Courbis". HP-Network.com. Retrieved 24 February 2014.
- ^ Loli, Eugenia (8 July 2003). "Interview with Christophe de Dinechin, HP-UX Engineer". OSNews. Retrieved 5 February 2014.
- ^ "US Patents citing Christophe de Dinechin as an inventor". US Patent Office. Retrieved 24 February 2014.
- ^ "Emacs on Aqua". SourceForge. Retrieved 24 February 2014.
- ^ "Drivers for the HP DE200C". Grenouille Bouillie. Retrieved 24 February 2014.
- ^ "Taodyne's Team page". Taodyne. Archived from the original on 24 February 2014. Retrieved 24 February 2014.
