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Compiling C to printable x86, to make an executable research paper

suckerpinch · talk · Watch on YouTube

Compilers, interpreters & program analysisDemoscene & retrocomputingSecurity & hacking

What it is

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 recommends it

HN fans call it a favorite engineering video and a showcase of Tom7's masterpiece-level, playful hacking.

  • 8 people recommended it
  • 7 different months
  • 4 strong recommendations
  • first 2018, last 2023

What HN commenters said

  1. “I like his compiler that generates executables made up only of printable characters”

    Compiler producing executables from printable characters only.

    pronoiac, 2019-07 · Strong recommendation · in “Survival in chessland [pdf]”

  2. “His video about the printable x86[1] is my favorite engineering video of all time.”

    Favorite engineering video of all time.

    badrequest, 2019-11 · Strong recommendation · in “NaN Gates and Flip FLOPS”

  3. “Absolutely every video on his Youtube channel is a masterpiece”

    Video explaining the code; the author's channel is all masterpieces.

    nextaccountic, 2023-07 · Strong recommendation · in “C89 compiler produces printable executables from C code [pdf]”

  4. “is my favorite but most of his stuff is super interesting.”

    Personal favorite among Tom7's interesting videos.

    omgmajk, 2023-10 · Strong recommendation · in “The GlEnd() of Zelda: Automatic 3Dification of NES Games (2016)”

  5. “tom7 made a while video explaining how to create an executable only with printable characters”

    Explains creating an executable using only printable characters.

    anitil, 2021-04 · Recommendation · in “Lipogram”

  6. “incomplete without the video where he demonstrates running the paper”

    Video demonstrates running the executable paper.

    SAI_Peregrinus, 2021-07 · Recommendation · in “Undocumented x86 instructions to control the CPU at the microarchitecture level [pdf]”

  7. “Suckerpinch (all time favourite”

    Named as all-time favorite among suckerpinch videos.

    x86x87, 2023-03 · Recommendation · in “Ask HN: What are some of the most interesting YouTube channels to follow?”

  8. “Mine are "Harder Drives"[1], "ELO World"[2], and "Printable x86"[3]”

    One of three favorite talks listed.

    nick-of-time, 2023-07 · Recommendation · in “GradIEEEnt half decent: The hidden power of imprecise lines [video]”

Excerpts from Hacker News comments, linked to the originals. Summaries and labels were written by a language model from those comments.

Topics: printable x86, c compiler, sigbovik, dos, tom7, machine code

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