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The English Programming Language

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51–60 of 78 posts

Re: The English Programming Language

#52
A programing language can be seen as UI between a human and the computer. As such it is similar to a keyboard. The path to keyboard includes phisically wiring the hardware and punchcards. At the moment keyboards provide a stable tradeoff between precision and ergonomics. Maybe in some future we will be able to replace the keyboard with a microphone but there are good reasons why this hasn't happened yet.

Re: The English Programming Language

#53
post #52

A programing language can be seen as UI between a human and the computer. As such it is similar to a keyboard. The path to keyboard includes phisically wiring the hardware and punchcards. At the moment keyboards provide a stable tradeoff between precision and ergonomics. Maybe in some future we will be able to replace the keyboard with a microphone but there are good reasons why this hasn't happened yet.

language is interface and keyboard is interaction device, so in what aspect are they similar? could you elaborate on this?

Re: The English Programming Language

#55
post #5

>This is a typical English program that implements the Frost pathfinding algorithm: although this is one of my favouite programs (or poems), i have never before noticed that it is one quite long poem (or program) terminated by a period - i wonder why Frost did that? possibly a pascal programmer?

I heard he was a separatist, and the path seemed interminable.

Re: The English Programming Language

#56
post #5

>This is a typical English program that implements the Frost pathfinding algorithm: although this is one of my favouite programs (or poems), i have never before noticed that it is one quite long poem (or program) terminated by a period - i wonder why Frost did that? possibly a pascal programmer?

That algorithm didn't terminate, although he tried divide and conquer (which was called fork in those days).

Re: The English Programming Language

#57
post #52

A programing language can be seen as UI between a human and the computer. As such it is similar to a keyboard. The path to keyboard includes phisically wiring the hardware and punchcards. At the moment keyboards provide a stable tradeoff between precision and ergonomics. Maybe in some future we will be able to replace the keyboard with a microphone but there are good reasons why this hasn't happened yet.

language is interface and keyboard is interaction device, so in what aspect are they similar? could you elaborate on this?

Don't see how adding "device" makes a relevant difference.

In both cases they are an interface between the intent a human wishes to convey and the computer that is to execute that intent.

Re: The English Programming Language

#58
post #6
post #2

> Currently, the only compiler available is Wernicke Well, there’s Inform 7: https://ganelson.github.io/inform-website/ :)

ooh, inform. before you can work out the english grammar for interacting with the game when the game is running, you have to work out how to interact with the english grammar when writing the grame itself. worst software idea ever, in my opinion.

Inform6 was better if you wanted megasimple OOP approaches. The game practically wrote itself.

Re: The English Programming Language

#59
Unfortunately there is a serious version problem amongst existing English systems. The language does not provide a method to enforce use of particular versions, and there is no universal naming convention to identify "dialects".

While less problematic at small sites, where it will be assumed that all instances are of the same "dialect", this commonly causes problems at large sites and for internationalization.

Conflicts between versions and/or dialects may be limited to identifier conflicts ("colour" v "color"), may involve terms not recognized by multiple parties, terms with conflicting meaning ("chaps"), or terms unacceptable to some parties ("toilet" v "bathroom") which break the "conversation".

Re: The English Programming Language

#60
post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

language is interface and keyboard is interaction device, so in what aspect are they similar? could you elaborate on this?

Don't see how adding "device" makes a relevant difference. In both cases they are an interface between the intent a human wishes to convey and the computer that is to execute that intent.

Keyboard doesn’t compete with English. It competes with microphone. And I’ll be dead before anyone gets me to use a computer via voice FWIW.
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