Programming Languages

There are many different programming languages. Most programming languages can be used for different applications, although some are better designed for specific uses than others. Many programming languages have long and complicated names which are usually reduced to acronyms. These include ALGOL (Algorithmic Language), a language generally used for scientific programming and APL (A Programming Language), used mainly for mathematical application. There are literally hundreds more programming languages, including BASIC, COBOL, and FORTRAN, which are currently among most popular and frequently used languages.

BAISC, stands for Beginner’s All purpose Symbolic Instruction Code. It was developed in 1965 at Dsrtmouth College by Dr. John Kemeny and Dr. Thomas Kurtz. BASIC was originally designed to be used by college students in many fields. It was also designed to be easier and more versatile than others, more scientific language. In addition, BASIC was designed as an interactive language. An interactive language in one which is much more communicative language allows interaction – type of conversation – between the computer and the user both during the preparation of programs and their execution.

BASIC is much less complicated than other programming languages. As it is easier and friendlier than many other languages, BASIC is the most frequently used programming language among the general population. BASIC continuous to become more and more popular everyday especially for personal and educational uses.

FORTAN, stands for formula Translation and was first developed by IBM from 1954 – 1957. It has since gone through several revisions, and was put into a final and standard form in 1977. FORTAN is more complicated and structured than BASIC and is generally harder to master. It is not designed for interactive purposes, but to express mathematical calculations and scientific formulas as easily and as accurately as possible. FORTAN instructions are stated in a combination of English algebraic formulas. FORTAN is better suited for work with numbers than any other programming languages, and is therefore the most commonly employed language in the scientific and mathematical fields.

COBOL, the acronym for Common Business Oriented Language, is the best and the most popular of all programming languages which have business applications. COBOL was first released in 1960 and was developed to fulfill the needs of both business and government. It has been revised and improved several times, and its present form was approved in 1974. COBOL is more similar to English FORTAN or BASIC. In fact, statements in COBOL are so English – like that they are quite easy to read because they use English verbs such as read, write, add, or subtract to express computer functions.

PASCAL, was first used in the early 1970’s, is not an acronym like BASIC or FORTAN. Rather, Pascal was named for Blaise Pascal, the developer of one of the earliest calculating machines. Pascal, a multipurpose language, can be used for many people feel it will one day be more commonly used for programming micro computers than BASIC.

Answer the following questions based on the text above!
1. How many programming languages do you know? Can you mention them?
2. What computer language do most programmers use?
3. What is meant by BASIC as an interactive language?
4. What computer language is mostly used in science?
5. Who first developed FORTAN?
6. When was FORTAN out into standard?
7. How does COBOL expresses the computer functions?
8. Why is FORTAN more difficult to master?