LanguageLevels

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Possible Workshop: Programming Languages and Architecture Layers

In the (good) old IBM days, there was "system programming" and "application programming". And there were the resective languages: PL/1 and (IBM) Assembler on the system side and Cobol and RPG on the applications side. Today, we have languages like VBA, ECMAScript, C#, C%2b%2b, Java, Python, Perl, ... For some of these languages it's clear that they relate to a specific layer of software architecture (like "presentation"), while others claim to span all the different layers. Is it useful to have different languages for different layers. And if so, for which layers should be used the same languages and for which of them different ones? And which topics must a language address to be fit for a specific layer? Perhaps it would be nice to have a workshop on these question at OT. If you think so, just send me a mail to [email protected] or leave your comments here.

-- Detlef Vollmann


Sounds like a good theme, but I wonder if a Goldfish Bowl might be better than a workshop? I think that would have about the right amount of structure (as moderator you can prevent it from shooting off into just-another-my-language-is-better-than-yours debate) but also the right degree of openness.

-- KevlinHenney


Yes - please do propose this as a session - I will send you some more detailed comments directly by email.

Thanks -- AndyMoorley (Programme Chair)



I would like to propose it as a Goldfish Bowl. But for that I need some who would like to start the discussion. Kevlin? Cope? Myself. But I would really like someone there who really believes that one language is ok for everything (maybe Java). Someone out there who takes it?

Detlef


Just a small point --- PL/S was the system programming language in IBM, PL/I was a general pupose language which was a supposed to be a replacement for both COBOL and Fortran. Also note the 1 is a roman one: I (I was the technical editor of the PL/I ISO Standard).

Modula-2 tried to be both a system programming language and a general purpose language, using different libraries.

Would be interested in helping.

Derek Andrews


A very good idea to do the session. Though I don't believe that anyone sane would suggest that there exists a programming language that can do everything efficiently. Even if that language is Gil ;-)

As far as Java goes I've been trying to convince myself that it can be used for embedded scenarios only to discover that, yes, you can use it, but it won't be any much easier than embedded C%2b%2b !!

Is it after all the language, that may fit all purposes, or the mentality and attitude that it brings out of its followers/developers. ?!

John Pagonis