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

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.
That said, it would appear that HTML is a programming language, which is used to program the computer display via an interpreter called a browser. It does solve specific display problems. I would not call it a general purpose programming language.
I'm reminded of the channel programs used by IBM mainframes to manage IO to disk. They certainly cannot perform any arithmetic or solve general problems, but they do solve the problem of writing or retrieving data. 

Richard

White Flame (aka David Holz) wrote:


"Randy McLaughlin" <randy@nospam.com> wrote in message
news:wDHJa.1033$lT4.267@fe04.atl2.webusenet.com...


Your references still do not define what a computer
programming language is.



No reference defines what a computer programming language is.  It's an
industry term, agreed upon to mean (and reinforced by English grammar) "a
language that can program a computer".  There is a general
industry-acknowledged distinction between languages which program
applications (data sets like HTML), and languages which program the computer
itself (like C++).  Yes, there are also grey areas, but HTML suits the
definition of "application programming language" (a language which programs
an application), and not "computer programming language".  This is all basic
grammar, dictionary definitions, and industry use of industry-specific terms
which are not quantified in any reference.

All that a reference is is one person's opinion who happens to be agreed
upon.  So since you can't seem to find a suitable definition for the term
"computer programming language" in the references that you trust (and I
doubt you will ever really find one), and most people here seem to be saying
things similar to the above paragraph, let this be your "reference", or else
view the dictionary as simply an "opinion" in the same way as you denounce
people's semantic deductions in this thread as simply "opinions". :-P

--
White Flame (aka David Holz)
http://www.white-flame.com/
(spamblock in effect)