Chapter 1 - What is Programming

Grace Hopper's immeasurable contributions to computer science have earned her the nickname -

"Amazing Grace".

In 1966, BCPL (Basic Combined Programming Language) was designed at the University of Cambridge by Martin Richards. This languagge was originally intended for writing compilers. In 1969, Ken Thompson, from AT&T Bell Labs, created a slimmed down version of BCPL wihch was simoly referred to as B. In 1972, an improved version of B was released. This was called C. In 1973, C was used to rewrite the kernel for the UNIX operating system. (1972)

C

A special computer that is connected to the LAN for one or more purposes.

Server

Traditionally, the introductory courses in computer science focus on -

programming

Grace Hopper wrote the first compiler (A type of translator) in 1952 for the languages A-0

Grace Hopper

Who is credited with making the term debugging popular and also wrote the first compiler?

Grace Hopper.

Languages that use English-like words as instructions. Easier, but less powerful. BASIC, Pascal, COBOL, FORTRAN, PL/I, Java

High Level Language

Java is a Platform Independent Language. Platform Independent means that the language does not cause problems as programs are transported between different hardware and software platforms. Unlike c++ were OOP is optional, Java requires you to use OOP which caused many universities t adopt it.(1995)

Java

A translator translates a high-level language into low-level machine code

Translator

The server services the other computers in the network.

Clients

FORTRAN stands for FORmula TRANslation. Developed by a team of IBM programmers for mathematitiotions, scientists and engineers. Whiler good for number crunching FORTRAN could not handle the record processing required for the business.(1957)

FORTRAN

The internet existed in the 1960s and originated in the "Cold War". A means of communication had to be created that was capable to keep working regardless of damage created anywhere. The internet has no central location where all the control computers are located.

Internet

LISP(LISt Processing) was designed by John McCarthy at MIT. It is know for being one of the languages specifically designed to help develope artificial intelligence. LISP introduced several important programming concepts which are used in modern programming languages today.(1958)

LISP

A new kind of programming has come about that is very high-level. In this style of programming, the programmers can click on different blocks. Each block performs a different task. By creating a sequence of these blocks, you can program.(2006)

Lego Mindstorm NXT

Languages that function at, or very close to 1s and 0s. Powerful but very difficult. Machine language, Assembly Language

Low-Level Language

Machine Code means you are directly manipulating the 1s and 0s of the computer's binary language.

Machine Code

What is another word for Machine Language?

Machine Code.

Early personal computers were not networked at all. Every computer was a stand-alone computer. Some computers were hooked up to printers and many others were not. If you needed to print something, and you were not directly connected to a printer, you saved you work to a floppy disk, put on your sneakers, and walked to the printing computer. Sharing files was done in the same way.

SneakerNet

C and C++ are sometimes considered to medium-level languages. This is because they have the ENglish commands of a high-level language as well as the power of a low-level language. This made C, and later C++, very popular with professional programmers.

Medium-Level Languages

What computer first introduced Assembly Language?

The EDSAC.

What is a programmer?

A person who writes a program for a computer.

What is a program?

A program is a sequence of instructions, which enables a computer to perform a desired task.

Assembly language otherwise known as EDSAC (Electronic Delay Storage Automatic Computer) EDSAC had an assembler called Initial Orders which used single-letter mnemonic symbols to represent different series of bits.

Assembly Language

Tom Kurtz and John Kemeny created BASIC (Beginners All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code) at Dartmouth College. Their intention was that a simple language would give non-math and non-science majors the ability to use computers. The use of BASIC became widespread when personal computers hit the market. The first was the Altair in 1976. BASIC required little memory, and it was the only language that could initially be handled ny the first personal computers. The Altair was shipped with Altair BASIC a.k.a. Microsoft BASIC. (1964)

BASIC

As computer programs grew more complex a new, more powerful, and more reliable type of programming was needed. This lead to the developement of Object Oriented Programming(OOP). Bjarne Stroustrup wanted to create a new language that uses OOP, but did not wantprogrammers to have to learn a new language from sscratch. He took the existing, very popular language C and added OOP to it. This new language became C++. In 1997, C++ replaced pascal as the official language from the AP COmputer Science Exam. (1983)

C++

Created (largely by Grace Hopper) for the business community and the armed forces. COBOL stands for COmmon Business Oriented Language. COBOL became extremely succesful when the Department of Defense adopted COBOL as its official programming language. (1959)

COBOL

A compiler translates the entire program into executable file before execution.

Compiler

In the early 1960s computer desingn was not yet standardized and was strongly influencen by progrrammers' languages of choice. FORTRAN programmers wanted computer that were suited for number crunching. COBOL programmers wanted computer that were suited for record handling. Companies like IBM would have different models for "FORTRAN programmers" and "COBOL Programmres". In 1964, the IBM System/360 family of computers standardized hardware and was suitable fot both. (1960)

FORTRAN vs COBOL

(Internet Service Provider)This will cost money and every person, every school, every business, who wants this access needs to use an ISP.

ISP

Refer to your answer to the previous question. What was the name of the assembler in that computer? Initial Orders.

Initial Orders.

An interpreter translates one program statement at a time during execution

Interpreter

Normally, businesses and schools have a series of LANs that all connect into large network called in Intranet. An Intranet behaves like the internet on a local business level.

Intranet

College professors did not like BASIC because it did not teach proper programming structure. Instead, it taught quick-and-dirty programming. Niklaus Wirth deiced to create a language specifically for the purpose of teaching programming. He named this new language Pascal after Blaise Pascal. Unlike PL/I, Pascal is a very lean language. It has just enough of both the math features of FORTAN and the record handling of COBOL to be functional. In 1983, the College Board adopted Pascal as the first official language for the AP Computer Science Exam. (1969)

PASCAL

PL/I stands for Programmers Language 1. After IBM standardized hardware with System/360, they set out to standardize software as well by creating PL/l. This language combined all of the number crunching features of FORTRAN with all of the record handing features of COBOL. The intention was that this language would be "everything for everyone". The reality was that the FORTRAN programmers did not like the COBOL features, the COBOL programmers did not like the FORTRAN features, and new programmers found the language too complex to learn. (1964)

PL/I

The first practical networks for personal computers were peer-to peer networks. These are small groups of computers with a common purpose all connected to each other. These types of networks were frequently called Local Area Networks or LANs. Initially, the networks were true peer-to-peer networks. This means that every computer on the network was equal.

Peer-to-Peer Networks

A sequence of instructions that make a computer perform a desired task.

Program

A person who writes a program for a computer.

Programmer

What was required to program the ENIAC?

Rewiring the whole machine.

Languages that use clickable pictures as instructions. Lego Mindstorms NXT

Very High Level Language

What does programming in Machine Language mean?

You are directly manipulating the 1s and 0s of the computer's binary language.

What was required to simply enter numbers into the Mark-I calculator?

You had to manipulate its 1440 switches.