Re: Low-level vs. High-level programming (was My First Computer)

[jeffj@panix.com (Jeff Jonas)]

>The major revolution with Basic wasn't the language itself (which
>really was nothing but a stripped-down version of Fortran; later
>strings were added though), but the environment: for the first time,
>the programmer didn't need to store his source code on punched cards
>or paper tape and submit it to some batch queue, but could instead
>sit at an interactive terminal, getting almost immediate response to
>syntax errors/etc.  And THAT aspect of Basic is ubiqutous today:
>hardly anoyne do batch programming anymore....

The APL environment did that one better: saved variables
and other stuff in the environment, not just the program.

I remember learning BASIC first, then FORTRAN.
Even with WATFIV (Waterloo Fortran,
a student compiler that came after WATFOR)
there was a steep learning curve for the features
and change of environment.

I guess deep down that's a part of why non-compiled languages/scripts
such as sh/bash/csh, Perl, etc. are still popular for rapid prototyping.