A C89 compiler that produces executables that are also valid ASCII text files [pdf]
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Submission timeline
2007–2026One slot for every year since HN launched. Height is that year's peak points; orange marks a 100+ point or 50+ comment breakout. Select a bar to open its strongest thread.
First comments on top threads
HN comment orderThere was actually a tool "com2txt" back in the DOS days. So you could convert an executable and put it into an email.... Update: I have my data well sorted enough that I found it :-) It even comes with code and is under a vague free license: https://github.com/hannob/com2txt
The author is an absolute legend. Absolutely every video on his Youtube channel is a masterpiece https://www.youtube.com/@tom7 And this includes the video that explains this code (Compiling C to printable x86, to make an executable research paper) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LA_DrBwkiJA
The first top-level comment from each of the four biggest threads, in HN’s own order. Excerpts are shortened; open a comment for full context.
- Breakout years
- 2
- Total points
- 449
- Total comments
- 82
100+ points or 50+ comments
reference only — not used in Hall rules or ranking
reference only — not used in Hall rules or ranking
Every submission
| Date | Title as submitted | By | Points | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-04-01 | ZM~~ # PRinty# C with ABC [pdf] | panic | 1 | 0 |
| 2018-02-05 | A C89 compiler that produces executables that are also valid ASCII text files [pdf]First breakout · Best thread | luu | 323 | 67 |
| 2023-07-22 | C89 compiler produces printable executables from C code [pdf]Latest 20+ point return | CharlesW | 125 | 15 |