machine-instruction

How was the first compiler written?

I heard about the chicken and the egg and bootstrapping. I have a few questions. What wrote the first compiler that converted something into binary instructions? Is assembly compiled or translated into binary instructions? ...I'd find it hard to believe they wrote a compiler in binary. ...

C programming and error_code variable efficiency

Most code I have ever read uses a int for standard error handling (return values from functions and such). But I am wondering if there is any benefit to be had from using a uint_8 will a compiler -- read: most C compilers on most architectures -- produce instructions using the immediate address mode -- i.e., embed the 1-byte integer into...

ADC instruction in ASM 8086

When I use ADC for exmaple: AL = 01 and BL = 02, and CF = 1 when I make this: ADC AL,BL Will AL be 3 or 4? (with the CF addition or without?) ...