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GeneralRe: Favorite way to categorize programming languages? Pin
Memtha12-Feb-22 9:01
Memtha12-Feb-22 9:01 
GeneralRe: Favorite way to categorize programming languages? Pin
Member 916705713-Feb-22 21:21
Member 916705713-Feb-22 21:21 
GeneralRe: Favorite way to categorize programming languages? Pin
Wizard of Sleeves13-Feb-22 22:47
Wizard of Sleeves13-Feb-22 22:47 
GeneralRe: Favorite way to categorize programming languages? Pin
Cpichols14-Feb-22 1:50
Cpichols14-Feb-22 1:50 
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Myron Dombrowski14-Feb-22 3:30
Myron Dombrowski14-Feb-22 3:30 
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Wasilla Wally14-Feb-22 3:51
Wasilla Wally14-Feb-22 3:51 
GeneralRe: Favorite way to categorize programming languages? Pin
atali14-Feb-22 16:21
atali14-Feb-22 16:21 
GeneralRe: Favorite way to categorize programming languages? Pin
trønderen15-Feb-22 2:56
trønderen15-Feb-22 2:56 
To me, that is two different languages: You've got (several dialects of) algorithmic language. And then there are those "not worth categorizing".

A programming language is usually a syntax, but much more a way of thinking of a problem solution. There is little difference in the way you break down the problem and model in a solution between C and Pascal, and for that sake assembler. Lisp is a completely different way of attacking it. APL yet another way. Prolog resembles none of them (some people may see resemblances at the abstract level between Prolog and Lisp, but on the very abstract level).

I haven't been asked for which languages I know for many years. In those days when languages were really developing, and new concepts arrived quite often (maybe after having been discussed in academica for years before arriving in the programming marketplace), I used to answer that I know:

* Algorithmic, with dialects like Fortran, Pascal, Basic, C whatever, Java, Python, CHILL, asseblers ...

* Array & workspace: APL (Smalltalk is workspace, too, but I never used that)

* Predicate: Prolog, SNOBOL, XSLT, regex. Maybe SQL fits into this group.

* List & functional: Lisp

* Job scripting: .sh and all its variants, .bat files, lots of others.

* Data definition languages: ASN.1, XAML, the DDL part of SQL, XML schema languages (several), JSON, ...


I am somewhat tempted to add:

* Event driven: Win core API, OSI communication protocols.

even though is not a language in the syntax sense, but certainly a quite different way of programming, and thinking about program design, compared to the monolithic, single thread from-start-to-end style of C and Pascal. The Win core model also has significant elements of workspace philosophy. I believe Erlang also comes in the event driven class, but I never went much beyond 'the Hello World level' when I had a short glimpse on Erlang many years ago.

There is a question of where to draw the line for what is "languages". Is regex a language? XML/html/TeX/SGML/...? General macro programming languages? 'Macro' programming internal to one specific application? The programming language of the HP 41C calculator?

I think it is a pity that we today try to mold force all sorts of programming into the C style of algorithmic thinking. That thinking pattern is all that most young programmers know of; they never consider a predicate approach, a list approach, a workspace solution model. You see some small traces of other elements, e.g. a regex of half a line - but it is treated similar to another operator in algorithmic C-style. regex and Prolog are different worlds. As are new() versus APL/Smalltalk workspace concepts.

I am happy to have had my professional upbringing during years when different ways of thinking about programming was encouraged and considered valuable.
GeneralRe: Favorite way to categorize programming languages? Pin
maze315-Feb-22 4:14
professionalmaze315-Feb-22 4:14 
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Memtha15-Feb-22 5:55
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Member 1419238216-Feb-22 13:46
Member 1419238216-Feb-22 13:46 
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Memtha16-Feb-22 14:30
Memtha16-Feb-22 14:30 
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Member 1419238216-Feb-22 15:41
Member 1419238216-Feb-22 15:41 
GeneralDo you OneNote? Pin
Gerry Schmitz11-Feb-22 7:26
mveGerry Schmitz11-Feb-22 7:26 
GeneralRe: Do you OneNote? Pin
BryanFazekas11-Feb-22 7:42
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Gerry Schmitz11-Feb-22 7:52
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BryanFazekas11-Feb-22 8:31
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Mark Starr14-Feb-22 3:58
professionalMark Starr14-Feb-22 3:58 
GeneralRe: Do you OneNote? Pin
kmoorevs11-Feb-22 7:59
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BryanFazekas11-Feb-22 8:34
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GeneralRe: Do you OneNote? Pin
tbim14-Feb-22 2:38
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GeneralRe: Do you OneNote? Pin
BryanFazekas14-Feb-22 3:27
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Richard Andrew x6412-Feb-22 1:45
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