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

["Randy McLaughlin" <randy@nospam.com>]

"wildstar" <wildstar128@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:Xns93A57CC6DF047wildstar128hotmailco@216.168.3.44...
> Richard Brady <rrllbrrady@worrlldnet.att.net> wrote in
> 3EF962CB.9070909@worrlldnet.att.net:">news:3EF962CB.9070909@worrlldnet.att.net:
>
> > Introduction to Computers and Data Processing by Shelley & Cashman,
> > 1980: A program can be defined as a series of instructions which
> > directs the coputer to perform a sequesce of tasks that produce a
> > desired result. The Home Computer Handbook by Schlossberg, Brockman
> > and Horton, 1978: program [is] a set of instructions arranged in a
> > specific sequence for directing the execution of a specific task or
> > the solution of a problem by a computer.
> > Introduction to Computer Programming with the BASIC Language by
> > Deitel, 1977: Computer programming is the process of instructing the
> > computer to utilize its various mechanisms to solve specific problems.
> <<< snip >>>
>
> Nicely stated but was written in a form and manner that would be
> understood but that is a definition which misses a common and very
> fundamental piece of information. To start with, a programming language
> is a language used to create those series of instruction but the
> fundamental part of the definition of a programming language has to
> really do to what the end result is. That is "What is a program". When
> they where describing a series of instructions to perform a desired
> result. That implies a lot more and that results of what they where
> talking about and those instructions are what makes up a programming
> language. It is not easy to define what a programming language is to full
> accuracy if you are not experienced in programming language. It is an
> interesting thought by a webbrowser/HTML viewer often instructs itself
> what to do. HTML in an abstract and basing on generic interpretation
> without taking into account the fundamental building blocks of a program
> can be thought of or construed as a programming language. Yet, in the
> field - definitions are often refined to take into account these things
> and simply leave HTML as a computer language and not a computer
> programming language. HTML does not program the computer nor does it
> create sequences of instructions that are to instruct the computer to
> perform tasks.

Poorly stated:  A fortran program is a text file that may be compiled and
the result is also a program.  A text file may also be directly interpreted
in basic, dBase or what ever.  The text file is still a program without any
conversion.  Just as a VM or emulator processes its programs.