The definition works for me (and I think this is an interesting exercise). Paraphrasing, a programming language has
- Variables - Data manipulation (MOVE, MVCL, PARSE, whatever) - Flow control (CALL, PERFORM, DO, etc.) I don't think a table of op codes would meet that definition. Is something missing from the definition? As we all use "computer language" there has to be some sort of compiler or interpreter (at least a theoretical or envisioned compiler, in the case of a new and as-yet-unimplemented language). JCL is a stretch. The L may stand for language, but there's no P in there. I suppose SET introduces variables and IF is certainly flow control, albeit pretty brain-dead flow control. Is HTML a programming language? XML? Does SQL have flow control? Charles -----Original Message----- From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of John P Baker Sent: Monday, October 09, 2006 10:05 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: What's a programming language I don't find this to be a particularly useful definition of a programming language. For example, under this formulation, a table of hexadecimal operation codes executable on some S/3x0-compatible physical processor meets the definition of a programming language. I suggest that a decent definition of the term "programming language" would have to be far more extensive. I have not yet taken the time to look at the question in detail, but Perlis's formulation seems to me to be totally inadequate. John P Baker Software Engineer -----Original Message----- From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of john gilmore Sent: Monday, October 09, 2006 09:18 To: [email protected] Subject: Re: What's a programming language Perlis's three-pronged formulation: A programming language provides mechanisms for o identifying a data type or data types, o specifying operations on them, and o speciifying a path or paths of control among these operations, has not been improved upon in, now, forty odd years; and it seems unlikely that it will be possible to replace it with a more perspicuous formulation anytime soon. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
