480K views · Mar 31, 2017 · 25:41 · 8 HN recommenders · 11 mentions · discussed 2018–2023
Tom7 explains how he built a SIGBOVIK 2017 paper made only of printable ASCII bytes that is also a valid DOS executable. He writes a C compiler targeting printable x86 without self-modifying code and solves the puzzles the constraint creates.
Why Hacker News points people here: HN fans call it a favorite engineering video and a showcase of Tom7's masterpiece-level, playful hacking.
“His video about the printable x86[1] is my favorite engineering video of all time.”HN comment, 2019
“I like his compiler that generates executables made up only of printable characters”
Compiler producing executables from printable characters only.
He's a mad genius! I like his compiler that generates executables made up only of printable characters: this video / link He's super playful and awesomely smart!
“His video about the printable x86[1] is my favorite engineering video of all time.”
Favorite engineering video of all time.
Every one of this guy's SIGBOVIK papers/videos are pure gold. His video about the printable x86[1] is my favorite engineering video of all time. ^1: this video
“Absolutely every video on his Youtube channel is a masterpiece”
Video explaining the code; the author's channel is all masterpieces.
The author is an absolute legend. Absolutely every video on his Youtube channel is a masterpiece link And this includes the video that explains this code (Compiling C to printable x86, to make an executable research paper) this video
“is my favorite but most of his stuff is super interesting.”
Personal favorite among Tom7's interesting videos.
Love Tom7, his video "Compiling C to printable x86, to make an executable research paper" [0] is my favorite but most of his stuff is super interesting. [0] this video
“tom7 made a while video explaining how to create an executable only with printable characters”
Explains creating an executable using only printable characters.
tom7 made a while video explaining how to create an executable only with printable characters [0]. He even write a compiler called 'ABC' for it. [0] this video
“incomplete without the video where he demonstrates running the paper”
Video demonstrates running the executable paper.
That last one (Tom 7's executable x86 paper) is incomplete without the video where he demonstrates running the paper (or running the paper yourself). this video
“Suckerpinch (all time favourite”
Named as all-time favorite among suckerpinch videos.
A mix of various things. Google to get to the channel: pbs spacetime stuff made here ben eater's 8 bit computer mike boyd nerdforge sabine hossenfelder gotham chess uthermal 3blue1brown veritasium Numberphile Suckerpinch (all time favourite: this video ) Stevey's tech talk leonard susskind's stanford lectures
“Mine are "Harder Drives"[1], "ELO World"[2], and "Printable x86"[3]”
One of three favorite talks listed.
Mine are "Harder Drives"[1], "ELO World"[2], and "Printable x86"[3] [1] link [2] link [3] this video
“Compiling C to printable x86, to make an executable research paper”
Listed among favorite 2017 talks.
On The Turing Completeness of PowerPoint link Compiling C to printable x86, to make an executable research paper this video HDR Photography in Microsoft Excel?! link Zebras All the Way Down link Solving Layout Problems with CSS Grid and Friends link Console Security - Switch link Let's move SMM out of firmware and into the kernel link Bringing Linux back to server boot ROMs with NERF and Heads link Sharing the Chisel link (looks like the actual conference video wasn't released)
“he goes to great lengths to express (A or B) as (A and B) + (A xor B)”
Discusses a specific moment on expressing OR via AND and XOR.
In the accompanying video[0] at 7:36 mark, he goes to great lengths to express (A or B) as (A and B) + (A xor B). Can anybody explain why it can't simply be expressed as (A and B) xor (A xor B)? What am I missing here? 0. this video
“It's a partial C89 compiler that outputs only printable characters.”
Partial C89 compiler outputting only printable characters, self-hosting.
Tom Murphy VII (tom7) did such a thing. It's a partial C89 compiler that outputs only printable characters. In meta fashion, the compiler is compiled by itself to also contain only printable characters. The TXT and EXE files below are exactly the same. Video: this video Paper (PDF): link Paper (TXT): link Compiler (EXE): link
