Generation of Blisses

This presentation describes the simultaneous development of Bliss compilers for three machine architectures. A highly unusual combination of characteristics makes this development of general interest to the software development community: the development involved extensive sharing of code among the several compilers; involved bootstrapping and transportable programming using a machine-oriented systems implementation language; involved prototyping and subsequent evolutionary development; and involved developing software on, as well as for, three machine architectures. The unusual problems that arose are discussed and the methodologies for dealing with them are described. This experience should be of interest to others contemplating projects with similar characteristics. It should also be relevant to research in the area of software development environments as an example of the diverse needs to be met.