tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17958827.post7498693823296321369..comments2024-02-05T15:01:20.672+08:00Comments on Archimedes' Lever: Yes, It's Nonsense.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12760673999356987827noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17958827.post-25117704139783719932013-04-03T21:10:55.128+08:002013-04-03T21:10:55.128+08:00re: " No, I'm not even a Brit; I'm Am...re: " No, I'm not even a Brit; I'm American"<br /><br />LOL... I spotted that after I posted... but that still it does not disqualify you from being an algol coder. The Air Traffic Control system in the US was Algol58 until 2 very recently. As too NORAD air defense & control system.<br />http://www.ddci.com/displayNews.php?fn=news_Industry_First_Quick-Turn_Low-Cost_JOVIAL-to-C_Conversion_Service_release.php<br />Qinetiq is still entrenched in many US bases supporting coldwar Algol 58/60/68 code on applications no-one is allowed to talk about. Your B6800 and B7800 background makes you a prime candidate. BTW I am told that CDC created the BEST Algol68 compiler. Sadly all traces of it have vanished.NevilleDNZhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11067569438021395601noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17958827.post-31907101147882912772013-04-02T20:42:21.102+08:002013-04-02T20:42:21.102+08:00A blog post is over-reacting. The chart presented ...A blog post is over-reacting. The chart presented had 5 different Lisp variants on the scale, positioned approximately equal distance apart from the extreme left to to right of the chart. If the study results are nonsense, why quibble over the methods?Jack Eddyfierhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00546379110958307956noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17958827.post-33199170092695394802013-04-02T17:46:12.897+08:002013-04-02T17:46:12.897+08:00Neville,
Thanks for the comments. No, I'm not...Neville,<br /><br />Thanks for the comments. No, I'm not even a Brit; I'm American, and the first half of my career (up to 1994 or so) involved numerous stints where I was operating, maintaining and/or developing for systems that were as old or older than I was. Burroughs B6800 and B7800, IBM 704 and 1401, DEC PDP-8 come to mind. I'm sure there were others (a CDC something-or-other has large, flashing "don't come here!" messages around <em>that </em> memory). I found a couple of months ago that I could still read punched paper tape. One of the "benefits" of moving out of the States a decade or so ago was getting rid of half a ton of old printouts, punch cards, tapes and so on that I'd been unreasonably carting around the country with me.<br /><br />Some things <em>will</em> scar you for life.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12760673999356987827noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17958827.post-14651406065159043732013-04-02T07:47:20.537+08:002013-04-02T07:47:20.537+08:00I'm not sure I'd call ALGOL 68 an "ov...I'm not sure I'd call ALGOL 68 an "overly verbose language".<br /><br />As an example of styles here is code to calculate <i>days in month</i> on a particular year. Algol68 can do this in either of Algol68's two complimentary ways: in <i>brief</i> & <b>bold</b>.<br /><br />Choice clause example with <i>brief</i> symbols:<br /> <b>proc</b> days in month = (<b>int</b> year, month)<b>int</b>: <br /> ␣␣(month|<br /> ␣␣␣␣31,<br /> ␣␣␣␣( year÷×4=0 ∧ year÷×100≠0 ∨ year÷×400=0 | 29 | 28 ),<br /> ␣␣␣␣31,30,31,30,31,31,30,31,30,31<br /> ␣␣);<br /><br />Choice clause example with <b>bold</b> symbols:<br /> <b>proc</b> days in month = (<b>int</b> year, month)<b>int</b>: <br /> <b>begin</b><br /> ␣␣<b>case</b> month <b>in</b><br /> ␣␣␣␣31, <br /> ␣␣␣␣<b>if</b> year <b>mod</b> 4 <b>eq</b> 0 <b>and</b> year <b>mod</b> 100 <b>ne</b> 0 <b>or</b> year <b>mod</b> 400 eq 0 <b>then</b> 29 <b>else</b> 28 <b>fi</b>,<br /> ␣␣␣␣31,30,31,30,31,31,30,31,30,31<br /> ␣␣<b>esac</b><br /> <b>end</b>;<br /><br />It really comes down to the coder discretion, appropriateness and clarity, e.g. the can also be written:<br /><br />Choice clause example mixing <b>bold</b> & <i>brief</i> symbols:<br /> <b>proc</b> days in month = (<b>int</b> year, month)<b>int</b>: <br /> <b>case</b> month <b>in</b><br /> ¢Jan¢ 31, <br /> ¢Feb¢ ( year <b>mod</b> 4 = 0 <b>and</b> year <b>mod</b> 100 ≠ 0 <b>or</b> year <b>mod</b> 400 = 0 | 29 | 28 ),<br /> ¢Mar¢ 31,30,31,30,31,31,30,31,30,31 ¢ to Dec. ¢<br /> <b>esac</b>;<br /><br />Sometimes a <b>1</b>-character variable is appropriate, other times <i>"spelling it out"</i> is required.<br /><br />OT: Your Algol68 coding experience is kind of rare in Singapore. Are you ex-British military?NevilleDNZhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11067569438021395601noreply@blogger.com