Re: text equation -- MIDRANGE-L

Fujitsu has a version of Fortran which implements objects.
And I disagree with you that, because languages have advanced to the current
level that langugages like dylan, algol, pascal, and oberon are now to be
considered low level languages. And where did you come up with the term mid
level?
Asm is a low level language because it lacks strong typing (I hope I dont start 
a
thread on typing ! ) it also lacks builtin functions for string handeling, and
high math like abs(), cos() ...
We can say, I think, that a high level language is one which is most abstract 
and
bears the least obvious correspondence between the language syntactic structure
and the machine code. In this definition the NUMBER of machine instructions 
bears
no relevance.
A high level language is not called a high level language because it generates a
huge wad of  machine code when compiled. It is so called because it it bears a
closer resemblance to human language than to machine language. There is no such
thing as a mid level language. pshaw!

A 3GL is another level inserted between human readable language and and machine
readable. 3GL's are inserted between, lets say english and RPG (in the case of
AS/SET) and the 3GL generates NOT compiled machine code but pre-compiled RPG
(language code). This AS/SET (3GL) generated RPG is then compiled into machine
code.

3GL's add a layer of abstraction if you want to call it that, in that a
programmer need not learn RPG, or C, or C++ in order to generate code in these
languages.

Jim Langston wrote:

> I tend to agree with this timeline, but you also have to
> look at the fact that in the 1960's Algol would of been
> considered a high level language, but if you take that same
> Algol now it is considered quite a low level language.
>
> I think that the terms low, middle and high level are two
> abstract.  I think that's where the generation terms came
> from.  I remember in the 70's and 80's everyone was
> talking about 3rd generation languages that would come
> along soon.  I guess they are here with OOPs and such.
>
> I think I was thinking more along the lines of 3rd generation
> languages being high level, 2nd generation being middle level,
> and 1st generation being low level.
>
> But heck, it's just not that simple anymore.  Languages can
> just do so much and have so many differences maybe the
> concepts of low level and high level languages have become
> obsolete.  Although everyone would agree that Assembly would
> be a low level language by any definition.
>
> Have we come to the age where assembly is low level, and all
> other programming languages are now high level?
>
> boldt@ca.ibm.com wrote:
>
> > <SNIP>
> > 1940's - bare hardware
> > 1950's - operations were abstracted - Fortran
> > 1960's - control structures were abstracted - Algol
> > 1970's - data structures were abstracted - Pascal, C
> > 1980's - module interfaces were abstracted - Modula
> > 1990's - abstraction of objects - C++, Java
>
> <SNIP>
>
> Remember Delphi (Pascal), VB (Basic), and just about
> every language that does objects now.  Although I tend
> to doubt if Fortran or Cobol does objects, and I've yet to
> see an object in RPG.
>
> Does that mean RPG is stuck in the 80's?
>
> Regards,
>
> Jim Langston
>
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--
L. S. Russell Programmer/Analyst
Datrek Professional Bags, Inc.
2413 Industrial Drive
Springfield, TN. 37172
mailto:leslier@datrek.com
http://www.datrek.com
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