New horizons for PLP

[Sohum Sohoni]

Hi Everyone,

As you all know, PLP has been quite successfully used in computer engineering classes to teach computer organization and computer architecture. Over 500 students have learned these topics through PLP, and we will continue using PLP in these courses. However, I recently (in academia, recently means last semester) discovered a place for PLP that would put the platform in front of a lot more students. 

The idea is to improve on the visualization of hardware that PLP does, and to use that to supplement students' understanding of how computing works. Thus, we could have some demos, to begin with, in introductory programming classes where students get some context and some visuals on what happens to their programs when they are executed. Given that for every computer engineer, there are about a thousand programmers, we could easily improve the reach and the impact of PLP if we used it in introductory programming courses.

Along those lines, we would like to pursue the C to PLP compiler, and perhaps even embark on a Java to PLP compiler, build some awesome visualizations so that students can look at their Java code running on the simulated hardware, and see changes to the memory, things flowing through the buses etc.with the option of, say, clicking on the 'CPU box' to get a more detailed view inside the CPU.

One other change that we are thinking about is to transition PLPTool to be an Eclipse plugin.

Any comments?

Sohum