![\"James](\"https:\/\/www.transy.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/news\/images\/illustrations\/jmiller.jpg\")
LEXINGTON, Ky.\u2014After 25 years of teaching a highly specialized computer course at Transylvania University, James Miller is sharing his knowledge in a newly published book.<\/p>\nLEXINGTON, Ky.\u2014After 25 years of teaching a highly specialized computer course at Transylvania University, James Miller is sharing his knowledge in a newly published book.<\/p>\n
Compiler Construction: A Practical Approach<\/em>, is designed to give undergraduate computer science students a \u201cgood understanding of the process involved in taking a computer language that we as programmers can understand and converting it to a language that the computer understands,\u201d said Miller, who taught for 42 years at Transy before retiring in 2008.<\/p>\n \u201cI started teaching a compiler course at Transy almost before there was such a course for undergraduate computer science students,\u201d he added. \u201cThe book comes mainly from notes that I developed over 25 years of teaching such a course.\u201d<\/p>\n Admittedly, the market for a compiler construction book is small, Miller said. \u201cHowever, I hope that my book will fill the need for those looking for a more practical book in this field.\u201d<\/p>\n Throughout his teaching career at Transylvania, Miller also taught math and physics courses as well as other computer science courses. The accomplished professor is credited with launching the school\u2019s computer science program, an initiative he championed throughout his tenure. He was also instrumental in reaching out to high school students through summer academic, science, computer and technology camps. <\/p>\n \u201cI enjoyed teaching and hopefully could have continued for many more years,\u201d he said. \u201cBut I felt that I would not force myself to do some other projects, such as writing the compiler book, while I was teaching. I always thought that teaching was a full-time job and couldn\u2019t pull myself away to do other tasks.\u201d<\/p>\n Now that his book is published, and when he is not building houses for Lexington\u2019s Habitat for Humanity or serving on various boards, Miller is working on a junior- or senior-level math book, Numerical Analysis<\/em>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" LEXINGTON, Ky.\u2014After 25 years of teaching a highly specialized computer course at Transylvania University, James Miller is sharing his knowledge in a newly published book. Compiler Construction: A Practical Approach, is designed to give undergraduate computer science students a \u201cgood understanding of the process involved in taking a computer language that we as programmers can understand and converting it to a language that the computer understands,\u201d said Miller, who taught for 42 years at Transy before retiring in 2008. \u201cI started teaching a compiler course at Transy almost before there was such a course for undergraduate computer science students,\u201d he added. \u201cThe book comes mainly from notes that I developed over 25 years of teaching such a course.\u201d Admittedly, the market for a compiler construction book is small, Miller said. \u201cHowever, I hope that my book will fill the need for those looking for a more practical book in this field.\u201d Although there are many compiler texts available, Miller said most of them concentrate more on theory instead of on actual implementation of a working compiler. His book takes the subject a step further by helping students complete the task of writing a compiler in a one-semester course. Throughout his teaching career at Transylvania, Miller also taught math and physics courses as well as other computer science courses. The accomplished professor is credited with launching the school\u2019s computer science program, an initiative he championed throughout his tenure. He was also<\/p>\n![\"Compiler](\"https:\/\/www.transy.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/news\/images\/illustrations\/millerbook.jpg\")
Although there are many compiler texts available, Miller said most of them concentrate more on theory instead of on actual implementation of a working compiler. His book takes the subject a step further by helping students complete the task of writing a compiler in a one-semester course.<\/p>\n