Cheney, JamesMorrisett, Greg2007-04-042007-04-042003-06-04http://techreports.library.cornell.edu:8081/Dienst/UI/1.0/Display/cul.cis/TR2003-1900https://hdl.handle.net/1813/5613Today's type-safe low-level languages rely on garbage collection to recycle heap-allocated objects safely. We present LTAL, a safe, low-level, yet simple language that ``stands on its own'': it guarantees safe execution within a fixed memory space, without relying on external run-time support. We demonstrate the expressiveness of LTAL by giving a type-preserving compiler for the functional core of ML. But this independence comes at a steep price: LTAL's type system imposes a draconian discipline of linearity that ensures that memory can be reused safely, but prohibits any useful kind of sharing. We present the results of experiments with a prototype LTAL system that show just how high the price of linearity can be.281800 bytesapplication/pdfen-UScomputer sciencetechnical reporttechnical report