Chapter 1- What is Programming
PL/I was created by combining all of the features of which 2 languages?
FORTRAN with its number crunching features, and COBOL with all of the record handling features.
What was the first successful programming language?
FORTRAN.
LISP is known for being one of the languages specifically designed to help
Artificial Intelligence.
High Level Languages
Languages that use English-like words as instructions. Easier, but less powerful.
Very High Level Languages
Languages that use clickable pictures as instructions.
What does LAN stand for?
Local Area Networks
What is another word for Machine Language?
Machine Code.
List 2 Low-Level Languages
Machine Language and Assembly Language.
FORTRAN was designed for which groups of people?
Mathematicians, scientists and engineers.
Grace Hopper
She wrote the first compiler (a type of translator) in 1952 for the language A-O.
Wireless connections are convenient, but there are some problems. List 2 of them.
Signals are not always reliable, and there are also security issues.
What does "Platform Independence" mean?
That a program created on one computer will work and have the exact same output on any computer.
ISP
(Internet Service Provider)When schools or businesses or homes want to be connected to the outside world and giant world-wide network known as the internet, you have to access to millions of lines of telecommunications. This will cost money and every person, every school, every business, who wants this access needs to use an Internet Service Provider or ISP.
Java
A Platform Independent language. Platform independence means that the language does not cause problems as programs are transported between different hardware and software platforms.
Compiler
A compiler translate the entire program in an executable file before execution.
Describe a High-Level Language.
A language that uses English words as instructions.
Internet
A means of communication had to be created that was capable to keep working regardless of damage created anywhere. It has no central location where all the control computers are located.
Programmer
A person who writes a program for a computer.
What is a programmer?
A person who writes a program for a computer.
Program
A sequence of instructions that makes a computer perform a desired task.
Server
A server is a special computer that is connected to the LAN. They are used for printing, logon authentications, permanent data storage and communication.
What is a peer-to-peer network?
A small group of computers with a common purpose all connected to each other.
What is a server?
A specialty computer that is connected to the LAN for one or more purposes.
Grace Hopper's immeasurable contributions to computer science have earned her the nickname
Amazing Grace
Interpreter
An interpreter translates one program statement at a time during execution.
Why did a number of college professors did not like BASIC?
Because it did not teach proper programming structure. Instead, it taught quick-and-dirty programming.
Explain why the use of BASIC become widespread when personal computers came out in 1976.
Because most computers were able to handle a small language like BASIC.
Why did Tom Kurtz and John Kemeny create BASIC?
Because their intention was that it would be a simple and easy-to-learn language that would give non-math and non-science majors the ability to use computers
Intranet
Behaves like the internet on a local business level. This promotes security, speed and saves cost.
Medium-Level Languages
C and C++ are sometimes considered to be medium-level languages because the have the English commands of a high-level as well as the power of a low-level language.
What is the major difference between Java and C++?
C++ was designed to be backwardly compatible with the original C. This means that in C++you have a choice. You decide to use OOP or not to use OOP. Java does not give you that choice, you must use OOP.
Clients
Clients are the computers connected to a certain server.
C++
Computers were starting to require more reliable types of programming, and this lead to Object Oriented Programming. Bjarne Stroustrup created a language by adding C to OOP, the new language was called C++.
PASCAL
Created by Niklaus Wirth to create a language specifically for the purpose of teaching programming. Unlike PL/1, Pascal is a very lean language.
COBOL
Created for the business community and the armed forces. It was used for record handling.
C
Designed at the University of Cambridge by Martin Richards. In 1969, Ken Thompson, created a slimmed down version referred to as B. In 1972, a new version came out called C, and was used to rewrite the kernel for the UNIX operating system.
FORTRAN
Developed by a team of IBM programmers. Good for number crunching but cannot handle record handling.
The Internet came about during what period in our history?
During the Cold War.
What computer first introduced Assembly Language?
EDSAC (Electronic Delay Storage Automatic Computer)
Sneaker Net
Early personal computers were not networked at all. Every computer was a stand-alone computer. Some computers were connected to printers however. If you needed to print something, you saved your work to a floppy disk, put on your sneakers, and walked to the printing computer.
The intention was that PL/I would be "everything for everyone". The reality was this language was not popular. Explain why.
FORTRAN programmers didn't like the COBOL features, the COBOL programmers did not like the FORTRAN features, and new programmers found the language too complex and overwhelming to learn.
FORTRAN Vs COBOL
FORTRAN programmers wanted computers for number crunching and COBOL programmers only wanted record handling. IBM eventually came out with the IBM System/360.
Who is credited with making the term debugging popular and also wrote the first compiler?
Grace Hopper
Who was the primary designer of COBOL?
Grace Hopper.
Assembly Language
Had an assembler call Initial Orders which used single-letter mnemonic symbols to represent different series of bits.
What does ISP stand for?
Internet Service Provider.
Normally, businesses and schools have a series of LANs that all connect into a large network called what?
Intranet
Where in the Internet is the central location where all the control computers are located?
It doesn't have one.
BASIC
It had little memory, and it was the only language that could initially be handled by the first personal computers. Its intentions was to make a simple language but was still hard to teach.
What is a program?
It is a sequence of instructions, which enables a computer to perform a desired task.
What was required to simply enter numbers into the Mark-I calculator?
It required manipulating its 1,440 switches.
What was required to program the ENIAC?
It required rewiring the machine.
How does a compiler translate?
It translates the entire program into an executable file before execution.
In 1983, Bjarne Stroustrup created a new language by combining C with OOP. What was that language called?
It was called "C++."
In 1969, a slimmed down version of BCPL was released. It was simply called B. In 1972, an improved version of B was released. What was that language called?
It was called "C."
In 1998, the Lego Corporation created their first point-and-click language for use with their Lego Mindstorms robots. In 2006, they released their next language. What was that language called?
It was called NXT.
COBOL was designed for which group of people?
It was created for the business community.
Refer to your answer to the previous question. What was the name of the assembler in that computer?
It was named Initial Orders.
What is the first Platform Independent language?
Java
LISP
Known for being one of the languages specifically designed to help develop artificial intelligence.
Low-Level Languages
Languages that function at, or very close to 1s and 0s. Powerful but very difficult.
What does OOP stand for?
Object Oriented Programming
After IBM standardized hardware with System/360, they set out to standardize software as well by creating
PL/1 (Programming Language 1).
How is Pascal different from PL/I?
Pascal is a more lean language. It has just enough of the math features of FORTRAN and just enough of the record handling features of COBOL to be functional.
The first practical networks for personal computers were called what?
Peer-to-Peer networks
Lego Mindstorm NXT
Programmers click on different boxes that perform different tasks in this language. By creating a sequence of these blocks, you can program a computer.
Traditionally, the introductory courses in computer science focus on
Programming
What is Sneaker Net?
Running around to share computer information.
Peer-to-Peer Networks
These are small groups of computers with a common purpose all connected to each other. These networks were called Local Area Networks or LAN's.
Refer to your answer to the previous question. Why are these languages considered "low-level?"
They function at, or very close to, the level of 1s and 0s.
Were early personal computers networked?
They weren't networked at all.
Describe a Very-High-Level Language.
They're languages that don't even use words, instead they use pictures that you can click and drag to program the computer.
PL/1
This language combined all of the number crunching features of FORTRAN will all of the record handling features of COBOL. It was going to be everything for everyone, but it wasn't liked.
Translators
Translates a high-level into low-level machine code.
What does a computer translator do?
Translates a high-level language into low-level machine code.
How does an interpreter translate?
Translates one program statement at a time during execution.
What was BCPL originally intended for?
Writing compilers.
What does programming in Machine Language mean?
You are directly manipulating the 1s and 0s of the computer's binary language.
Machine Code
You directly manipulate the 1s and 0s of the computer's binary language.
Niklaus Wirth created the language Pascal specifically for the purpose of
teaching programming.