Re: Semi-Automated Programming

Damien R. Sullivan (phoenix@ugcs.caltech.edu)
Tue, 13 Jan 1998 19:09:42 -0800 (PST)


On Jan 13, 12:19pm, "Lee Daniel Crocker" wrote:

> > > what we need are tools to help
> > > those programmers be much more productive with their time. Also, tools
>
> That's exactly what people have been saying for the last 18 years
> I've been programming, and bits and pieces of it have been accomplished:
> first it was Fortran, then "structured" programming languages like
> Algol, then "Object-oriented" programming; next will probably be Agoric
> programming.

Not to mention the rather old lex and yacc, to write parsers. Kernighan
and Pike wrote that yacc is one of the few survivors from a time when
lots of people were trying to write higher level things. You specify a
grammar and it writes a parser, reportedly somewhat better than most
programmers could write. I'm surprised you didn't mention it Lee, since
the Lojban project used it. :) (Which weirded me out when I first heard
it.)

At any rate, why shouldn't there be more and more programmers?
Especially if the programmers are teaching computers how to replace many
of the non-programmers.

Programmers, bio-programmers, and janitors, that's the future...

-xx- GSV The Low Golden Willow X-)
(last bit not meant seriously)

Patron: "I am looking for a globe of the earth.
Ref: "We have a table-top model over here."
Patron: "No, that's not good enough. Don't you have a life size?"
Ref (after a short pause): "Yes, but it's in use right now!"