Proper Google Search Terms

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07-17-2011
AndrewHunter

Proper Google Search Terms

Let me begin by saying that I am not, nor will ever be a professional programmer. I am quite happy with what I do and I have no false expectations of grandeur. *With that out of the way*

My new interest in programming has now been with actual implementation of abstract concepts, e.g how higher level language compilers work. My problem lately is it has been a struggle to find what exact 'key words' to search for on the internet. Most common nomenclature results in 1000s of pages of garbage with maybe 1 or 2 links worth of results.
*Side note: I have found the Crenshaw articles and I do own the "red dragon book"*

Additionally, even with the open source movement, most links are all filled with lackluster questions due to the constant influx of "I'm going to be the next Bill Gates" type of questions. (I'm sure you guys here know what I mean)

I would like to know how to effectively continue my search.

Thank you,
Andy
07-19-2011
DavidP

You could try going to a university's website and look at the course page for their "languages and compilers" course, and see what material they have to offer.

For example, I went to BYU, and they have two courses on languages and compilers. Here are the respective sites:

Programming Language Design (CS 330)
Algorithmic Languages and Compilers (CS 431)

When you go to those sites, there are powerpoint presentations and lecture notes available. These may or may not be directly helpful, but could certainly help you find the correct terms that you are looking for that you want to then use in your google searches. You don't have to use the course sites I linked you to, but could go to any university's site and find their respective courses.

That's my suggested course of action (pun intended)
07-19-2011
CommonTater

1 Attachment(s)

Quote:

Originally Posted by AndrewHunter

Let me begin by saying that I am not, nor will ever be a professional programmer. I am quite happy with what I do and I have no false expectations of grandeur. *With that out of the way*

My new interest in programming has now been with actual implementation of abstract concepts, e.g how higher level language compilers work. My problem lately is it has been a struggle to find what exact 'key words' to search for on the internet. Most common nomenclature results in 1000s of pages of garbage with maybe 1 or 2 links worth of results.
*Side note: I have found the Crenshaw articles and I do own the "red dragon book"*

Additionally, even with the open source movement, most links are all filled with lackluster questions due to the constant influx of "I'm going to be the next Bill Gates" type of questions. (I'm sure you guys here know what I mean)

I would like to know how to effectively continue my search.

Thank you,
Andy

What...

Attachment 10726

This isn't enough to keep you busy?
07-19-2011
Mario F.

I very much doubt there are over 5 million discrete webpages on compiler design in C.

- 90% of that can be ignored as inconsequential matches
- of the remaining, 90% are only partial matches
- of the remaining, 90% don't say anything substantial
- Of the remaining, 90% only theorize
- Of the remaining, 90% say wrong things
- There's 50 pages somewhere in there that might have anything to say

Those 50 will all point to books and published papers.

And there's also:

Quote:

Sorry, Google does not serve more than 1000 results for any query. (You asked for results starting from 2000000.)
07-19-2011
CommonTater

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mario F.

I very much doubt there are over 5 million discrete webpages on compiler design in C.

Ummmm... Mario... it was a joke.
07-19-2011
Mario F.

Quote:

Originally Posted by CommonTater

Ummmm... Mario... it was a joke.

LOL! you are something else...

So was mine, silly boy. Couldn't you tell?
07-19-2011
whiteflags

Quote:

Sorry, Google does not serve more than 1000 results for any query. (You asked for results starting from 2000000.)

Then don't tell me there are eleventy bijillion results. :eek:
07-19-2011
CommonTater

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mario F.

LOL! you are something else...

So was mine, silly boy. Couldn't you tell?

Actually... no I couldn't.
07-19-2011
AndrewHunter

@DavidP Thank you, that honestly didn't occur to me. I will look those over.

@EveryoneElse See, that is why I like this board. It may take .21 seconds to return a Google search however you cannot even measure how fast a thread takes to get off topic. :rolleyes:;)
07-19-2011
Matticus

Quote:

Originally Posted by AndrewHunter

See, that is why I like this board. It may take .21 seconds to return a Google search however you cannot even measure how fast a thread takes to get off topic.

I love that about here. And since we're off topic anyway...

I just stumbled on an interesting wiki article about the "online disinhibition effect." I haven't seen much at all of that going on here, but it is certainly a good read. One paragraph seems exceptionally intriguing to consider...

Quote:

Lacking any kind of visual face-to-face cues, the human mind will assign characteristics and traits to a "person" in interactions on the internet. Reading another person's message may insert imagined images of what a person looks like or sounds like into the mind, and mentally assigns an identity to these things. The mind will associate traits to a user according to our own desires, needs, and wishes – traits that the real person might not actually have.

I think this is perfectly natural, and is done subconsciously all the time. I feel that I do have some sort of soft "image" in my head of those I interact with here and elsewhere, though I don't often realize it's happening. I know it's not an accurate representation of another, but I suppose the human mind "fills in the gaps" when creating a model for an individual that we interact with. It's more confounding that many peoples internet "personalities" differ from their real-life disposition by some (varying) degree. This makes me wonder what sort of image I've projected for myself to others. What a frightening thought.
07-19-2011
Mario F.

Quote:

Originally Posted by CommonTater

Actually... no I couldn't.

I know. I know. That's what makes it even more fun:

- Hey, stupid. I was joking
- Yeah. Me too.
- You were?

You crack me up.
07-20-2011
VirtualAce

Perhaps you could Google which search terms to use in Google.
07-21-2011
AndrewHunter

Quote:

Originally Posted by VirtualAce

Perhaps you could Google which search terms to use in Google.

LOL.....brilliant! :tongue: