Dragon Book

publication The classic text "Compilers: Principles,

Techniques and Tools", by Alfred V. Aho, Ravi Sethi, and

Jeffrey D. Ullman (Addison-Wesley 1986; ISBN 0-201-10088-6).

So called because of the cover design featuring a dragon

labelled "complexity of compiler design" and a knight bearing

the lance "LALR parser generator" among his other trappings.

This one is more specifically known as the "Red Dragon Book"

(1986); an earlier edition, sans Sethi and titled "Principles

Of Compiler Design" (Alfred V. Aho and Jeffrey D. Ullman;

Addison-Wesley, 1977; ISBN 0-201-00022-9), was the "Green

Dragon Book" (1977). (Also "New Dragon Book", "Old Dragon

Book".) The horsed knight and the Green Dragon were warily

eying each other at a distance; now the knight is typing

(wearing gauntlets!) at a terminal showing a video-game

representation of the Red Dragon's head while the rest of the

beast extends back in normal space.

See also book titles.

(1996-12-03)