Pascals Origins

[Root Boy Jim]

	> Quick Jab:
	> 	If Pascal is so good why did its author (N. Wirth) write
	> two other languages (Modula & Modula II) before deciding he had one
	> which could be used for system implementation? (Lilith (sp?))
	> 
	> 				Bill Bogstad
	> 				bogstad at hopkins-eecs-bravo.arpa
	
	Never any question about this one.  Wirth designed Pascal as a teaching

Wrong! Even Wirth denied that.

	language, not a system implementation language, and as a language that
	could be easily compiled by a 1-pass compiler on small computers.  It
	was designed specifically to be used by novices, thus the very strong
	type-checking, bounds checking, etc., and the very limited power of
	the language. 

Unfortunately it teaches them bad habits as well. I was freaked royally
when my brother told me years ago that there were no provisions for
separate compilation. Everything in one source file, and they make
people write large scale projects in it? Pure insanity.

The I/O is inscrutable to a wizard, much less a novice.

Arrays of different sizes are incompatible, which discourages general
purpose routines.

No `otherwise' or `default' clause on switches makes them almost useless.

And the syntax is incredibly verbose and ugly.

	Modula 2 seems like and attempt to create a spin-off of the
	Pascal methodology that can actually be used for system
	implementation and the like.  Probably just as reasonable as
	all the incompatibly-expanded Pascals around today.

Modula 2 was written to cover Pascal's mistakes. Perhaps Pascal was
written to cover Lilith's mistakes as well.

As for Lilith, I once saw a film about a nutcase woman of the same
name. Filmed in part at Chestnut Lodge, Rockville, Md.

All in all, the author's name sums up his contribution to computer science.

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	Dave Haynie    {caip,ihnp4,allegra,seismo}!cbmvax!daveh
	
	   A quote usually goes here, but its currently being rennovated.
	
	These opinions are my own, though for a small fee they be yours too.
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	(Root Boy) Jim Cottrell		<rbj at icst-cmr.arpa>
You should all JUMP UP AND DOWN for TWO HOURS while I decide on a NEW CAREER!!