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Jon Paris wrote:
 >> The direct predecessor of RPG (I) was the plugboard for the 407
accounting machine, which is arguably not a programming language.


Which is exactly what was meant by tabulators (or tabs) which was the generic term used by those who did not live in an IBM centric universe. i.e. those of us who programmed Hollerith, British Tab, or ICT equipment.

They were certainly programmed.  In addition to the wires, the "language"
one used was often a crude form of Anglo-Saxon <grin>.  Since the RPG
"language" was very directly aimed at emulating the 407's functions - it is
after all where we get the RPG cycle and indicators from - I think you have
to count it as a language and place it directly in the time line.  No other
language (to my knowledge).  At one time there was some form of conversion
routine whereby you described the plugboard programming and it generated
RPG.  Or did you plug the board into a device and it worked it out?  Getting
too old and suffering from CRS these days so I can't recall the exact
details.
...

Well, since I'm in an argumentative mood this morning, I'll offer up Jean Sammet's definition of programming language:


"a programming language is a set of characters with rules for combining them. It has the following characteristics; 1) Machine code knowledge is unnecessary, 2) Potential for conversion to other computers, 3) Instruction explosion, and 4) problem-oriented notation.".

By this definition plugboards are not a programming language, even though they are certainly programmed.

(You might want to quibble with Sammet's definition since at one time she refused to include RPG in her lists of programming languages!)

Cheers! Hans



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