[cap-talk] C-like Capability language

[William Pearson]

I'll  get back to this conversation in a few days, I should really
read over the bitC spec and have a closer look at MarkM's thesis.

This isn't my native territory. My interest lies in making computer
architectures that allow the programs inside it to be maintained by
the *computer programs themselves and interactions between them*,
while trying to minimise the amount that malicious or badly error-ing
programs can interfere with the smooth operation of the system. This
introduces other considerations not encountered when the user or other
human is the system maintainer. Autonomic computing is probably the
most recent buzzword that some would apply to what I want to do.
Capabilities form a significant part of it.

I'll try and tease out an explanation of why I have gone for the inner
VM with capabilities rather than the type safe runtime. It may or may
not have any bearing on the less speculative languages/architectures
that are the focus of this mailing list.


 Will Pearson