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GeekNights 080317 - What are programming languages?

TheWealthyAardvarkTheWealthyAardvark
edited March 2008 in GeekNights
Tonight on GeekNights, we discuss the nature of computer programming languages. In the news, this is the only place you can get this, the FCC is fighting the “good” fight, spam-bots are consolidating, Chinese bootleg routes might be hacked. Or not.

Scott’s Thing - Remember the Milk
Rym’s Thing - Spool Accident

Comments

  • TheWealthyAardvarkTheWealthyAardvark
    edited March 2008
    Links to be added and such when Scott's "Thing of the Day" is moved up to the news, "Rym's" Thing of the Day becomes Scott's, and Rym's actual Thing of the Day gets posted.
    Edit: Fixed.
    Post edited by TheWealthyAardvark on
  • imptacimptac
    edited March 2008
    Could you put up the link to Rym's Thing?
    Edit: Never mind.
    Post edited by imptac on
  • BantaBanta
    edited March 2008
    Spench, the language of the future alongside Fretalian.
    Post edited by Banta on
  • xenomousexenomouse
    Where is that "spool" video?
  • GlassOnionGlassOnion
    Where is that "spool" video?
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jo3ohNxEGkM&NR;=1
  • RymRym
    Hey, I was tired and distracted. ^_~
  • chaosof99chaosof99
    edited March 2008
    The alternate angle is also pretty funny
    Post edited by chaosof99 on
  • ......
    Hey! I've seen that vid before. From above, static. . . . *moves his money from accident to set up* I mean, come on, the dude outside on the phone looks inside, you see the spool almost going through the glass, and he turns away just in time. Also, the girl doesn't act shocked, surprised and/or scared when the thing starts rolling. Heck, she even laughs before it has done anything.
  • CHOIS CHOIS CHOISCHOIS CHOIS CHOIS
    What's the difference from a 'Mark Up' (i.e. HTML) language from the other languages.
  • ......
    What's the difference from a 'Mark Up' (i.e. HTML) language from the other languages.
    They're scripting languages and not programming languages. Xml, (x)html, javascript, AJAX, all that sort. Nothing gets compiled, only interpreted by the users software. Which brings me to this question, Scott, how would you describe the difference between interpreted languages like Python and Perl and scripting languages like xhtml. Both are interpreted, right?
  • AprecheApreche
    They're scripting languages and not programming languages. Xml, (x)html, javascript, AJAX, all that sort. Nothing gets compiled, only interpreted by the users software. Which brings me to this question, Scott, how would you describe the difference between interpreted languages like Python and Perl and scripting languages like xhtml. Both are interpreted, right?
    XHTML isn't a scripting language, it's a markup language. HTML stands for hyper text markup language. A markup language is a language used for marking up data. You know those red marks that teachers put on your essays to correct your grammar? That's a markup language.

    Scripting and programming are really the same thing in my book. However, very limited programming languages, or languages with very narrow purposes, are usually referred to as scripting languages.

    An obvious example is JavaScript. The JavaScript language is a programming language, but it's really only meant to be used for controlling certain functions within a web browser. JavaScript has actually reached a point where you can write a program in it, but it was never intended to do that. If I had to define the difference, I would say that a program language is one that you can use to actually write entire programs. Scripting languages look and work a lot like programming languages, but can only really be used to automate tasks and such. The language you use to write Quake scripts, and Apple Script are other good examples of scripting languages.
  • NeitoNeito
    What's the difference from a 'Mark Up' (i.e. HTML) language from the other languages.
    Markup languages describe the layout and structure of of a document or other set of data. A programing language is a set of instructions.
  • Gabrial FoxGabrial Fox
    Hey all....

    So I haven't written a program in years. Well I suppose I've never really written a whole program, but the point is I haven't spent a long time getting into a language since i was F'n around on my mom's Apple IIGS with Basic.

    Anyway, I know a touch of *NIX and I've read up on some C and have recently been looking into Ruby. I'm not really interested in building code professionally or for general distribution, but i've been thinking that there are some thing that I'd like to be able to create a program to do. More over I enjoy being able to muck around with some code occasionally sort of like tinker-toys on my laptop.

    Ok, rambling: The point is Ruby looks really slick at first blush and I've been thinking about digging deeper into it. I don't really have time to spread myself through multiple languages so does anybody have some thoughts on what languages one aught to study if they're just doing it for the casual side and is there any reason why one might say "oh that language is totally useless," or anything like that?

    Maybe I'm being to vague.... I'll leave it here for now though.

    Preemptive Thanks!
  • ......
    DOH! *facepalm* I should've thought a minute longer about that post. Or shouldn't have posted after midnight, it's when I get more grumpy and cluttered than usual. Though that's not to say I would've remembered the definition of a mark-up language when actually awake. Ah well.
  • AprecheApreche
    Anyway, I know a touch of *NIX and I've read up on some C and have recently been looking into Ruby. I'm not really interested in building code professionally or for general distribution, but i've been thinking that there are some thing that I'd like to be able to create a program to do. More over I enjoy being able to muck around with some code occasionally sort of like tinker-toys on my laptop.
    I've said it 1,000 times, and I'll happily say it again another 1,000 times. Languages are tools. Asking which is better, or which you should learn, is like asking if you should use a screwdriver or a hammer. Once you learn how to program, and the concepts behind programming, you will be able to use any language. Trying to learn Ruby, as opposed to learning how to program, is like learning how to be a hammer-user instead of learning to be a carpenter.

    That being said, it seems like you don't actually want to make any serious programs, you just want to have some fun programming. If fun playing with code is what you are after, then there is no better choice in today's world than Smalltalk and Squeak. Head here for all the relevant bits.
  • Gabrial FoxGabrial Fox
    Thanks! (sorry it took me so long to get back to this, damn you work!)

    I don't think I was quite clear enough in my question, or more I wasn't so clear in what my intent was. I do understand that each of the languages are tools, and I should have been more precise. When I was asking for recommendations in what language to look into more I was really wondering if there were any sort of limitations that I might be unaware of in one of the mentioned languages. The attractiveness of Ruby lies in it's comparatively "intuitive" language set, as compared to C or 'nix, but I didn't know if this similarity to standard English came at the cost of some significant functionality. In terms of the tool comparison, I'm looking to just do hobby work on my car, I was thinking of learning how to do some low level welding, but I just wanted to make sure that the "do it yourself kit" (ruby) from Sears would serve me well enough, but wondered if I should just jump right into the pro level arc welder. (C++)

    Still, thanks tons!
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