[Info-vax] System implementation languages, was: Re: RMS record metadata, was: Re: Re; Spiralog, RMS Journaling (was

[Johnny Billquist]

On 2016-06-23 18:26, David Froble wrote:
> Simon Clubley wrote:
>> PS: If DEC had fixed up some issues with Pillar and implemented it,
>> that would have made a good SIL (better than C IMHO). Unfortunately,
>> DEC never followed through with Pillar.
>>
>
> Any language, if appropriate capabilities are implemented, can be so
> used.  I seem to recall that DEC's C needed some work before it could be
> used.  Put the same capabilities in Basic, and it would do just as
> well.  Well, maybe even better.
>
> It's all just 1's and 0's ....

That is simplifying things quite a bit. Reminds me of the "Real 
programmers can write FORTRAN in any language." :-)

Yes, in the end it's all just 1's and 0's. And above that, it's all just 
machine code. Are you arguing that we should write all our code in 
machine code, because that is the lowest common denominator here? :-)

If you add enough machine code ability into a language, you will 
eventually be able to do all your programming in that language, but at 
that point the "language" will have been extended and degenerated into 
machine language again.

	Johnny