Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!necntc!ima!johnl From: johnl@ima.UUCP Newsgroups: comp.compilers Subject: Re: What makes a language popular? Message-ID: <698@ima.ISC.COM> Date: Mon, 24-Aug-87 20:57:25 EDT Article-I.D.: ima.698 Posted: Mon Aug 24 20:57:25 1987 Date-Received: Fri, 28-Aug-87 06:00:02 EDT References: <331@hubcap.UUCP> <627@ima.ISC.COM> <638@ima.ISC.COM> Sender: johnl@ima.ISC.COM Reply-To: Eugene Miya N. Organization: NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif. Lines: 32 Approved: compilers@ima.UUCP >>>Pascal: The universally recognized standard reference is Jensen and Wirth. >> . . . >>Since 1981, there has been an ANSI standard for Pascal ... Apparently, John lost my note, so permit me to reconstruct my thoughts on this. While "well designed, well intentioned, simple designs" are neat, but I have never "felt" that this was why languages became popular. I started attending ANSI Pascal meetings in 1978. I knew very little about language/language design at the time, but I learned a lot from some people I have a great deal of respect for all of them. They were some of the sharpest technical people I have had the pleasure of meeting. [P.S. they are all terrible (they would not make good) bureaucrats (most, probably great compiler writers)]. Fun group of people. While there is some truth to simple design, I would say the vast majority of the reason for the popularity of languages is the availability of cheap front-ends. The P4 Pascal front-end and the pcc, probably did more for those languages than simple design [I preferred C even before my ANSI experience]. The majority of Pascal compilers began with the P4 front-end. The same went for C and the pcc. There is alot to be said for fast implementations. There is a lot to be said for getting something out to the market place quickly, even if the quality is not high. --eugene miya NASA Ames Research Center -- Send compilers articles to ima!compilers or, in a pinch, to Levine@YALE.ARPA Plausible paths are { ihnp4 | decvax | cbosgd | harvard | yale | cca}!ima Please send responses to the originator of the message -- I cannot forward mail accidentally sent back to compilers. Meta-mail to ima!compilers-request