I spent a year of my life making an ASN.1 compiler in D

Summary

The author details their experience building an ASN.1 compiler in D, highlighting ASN.1's complexity and the benefits of using D. The post covers various aspects of ASN.1, its specifications, and the challenges encountered during implementation.

Key Takeaways

1. ASN.1 is a complex data specification language used in various applications, including TLS/SSL certificates.
2. The author is developing an ASN.1 compiler in D as part of a larger project involving a TLS implementation.
3. ASN.1's notation and specifications (x.680, x.681, x.682, x.683) can be challenging to understand and implement due to their complexity and historical revisions.

Statement Breakdown

• Claimed Facts: 50% of statements the article presents as facts
• Opinions: 30% of statements classified as editorial or subjective
• Claims: 20% of statements surfaced for additional reader evaluation

Credibility & Bias Reasoning

Credibility assessment: The article is a personal blog post detailing the author's experience with ASN.1 and compiler development. While the author demonstrates expertise in the subject matter, the content is subjective and based on personal experience. The lack of external verification lowers the overall credibility.

Bias assessment: Technological Frustration and D Language Advocacy. The author expresses frustration with ASN.1's complexity and praises the D programming language. This perspective colors the presentation of information, highlighting the difficulties of ASN.1 while promoting D as a suitable solution. The author's personal experience heavily influences the narrative.

Note: This article is a personal account and may contain subjective opinions. Verify claimed facts with independent sources.

Credibility flag: Personal Account

Claimed Facts (6)

• This is a statement of publication date.
• This is a statement about the prevalence of ASN.1.
• This is a factual breakdown of ASN.1 components.
• This is a description of DER encoding.
• This is a statement about the use of OBJECT IDENTIFIER in ASN.1.
• This is a statement about the author's current project.

Opinions (6)

• This is the author's opinion on the structure of the post.
• This is a subjective comparison of ASN.1 to protobuf.
• This is a subjective description of x.681.
• This is a subjective assessment of ASN.1.
• This is the author's personal reaction to the reliance on ASN.1.
• This is the author's personal assessment of their understanding.

Claims (6)

• Success is claimed without providing evidence.
• This is a potentially misleading statement about compiler design.
• This is a subjective claim without specific examples.
• This is an oversimplified and potentially misleading statement.
• This is a vague statement about the author's cognitive abilities.
• This is a subjective and generalized statement.

Key Sources

• Author — Blogger, Compiler Developer