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Questions and Answers
Which programming language is primarily used for scientific applications with a focus on floating point computations?
Which programming language is primarily used for scientific applications with a focus on floating point computations?
Which characteristic is not part of language evaluation criteria?
Which characteristic is not part of language evaluation criteria?
What is a primary influence on language design related to computer architecture?
What is a primary influence on language design related to computer architecture?
Which of the following programming areas typically requires high efficiency due to continuous use?
Which of the following programming areas typically requires high efficiency due to continuous use?
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What factor affects the cost associated with programming languages?
What factor affects the cost associated with programming languages?
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In terms of readability, what is not a desired feature of a programming language?
In terms of readability, what is not a desired feature of a programming language?
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Which programming paradigm became prominent by the middle of the 1980s due to its focus on data abstraction and inheritance?
Which programming paradigm became prominent by the middle of the 1980s due to its focus on data abstraction and inheritance?
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Which of the following is considered a defining characteristic of functional programming languages?
Which of the following is considered a defining characteristic of functional programming languages?
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What is one of the main components that contribute to a language's writability?
What is one of the main components that contribute to a language's writability?
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Which of these languages is primarily categorized as a markup/programming hybrid?
Which of these languages is primarily categorized as a markup/programming hybrid?
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Which language is categorized as logic programming?
Which language is categorized as logic programming?
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Which factor is not typically associated with the reliability of a programming language?
Which factor is not typically associated with the reliability of a programming language?
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Which language evaluation criterion addresses how understandable a program is by others?
Which language evaluation criterion addresses how understandable a program is by others?
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What is one of the significant changes in programming paradigms noted in the late 1960s?
What is one of the significant changes in programming paradigms noted in the late 1960s?
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What is a primary disadvantage of using C++ pointers?
What is a primary disadvantage of using C++ pointers?
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What characteristic is primarily associated with pure interpretation?
What characteristic is primarily associated with pure interpretation?
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Which of the following accurately describes the von Neumann bottleneck?
Which of the following accurately describes the von Neumann bottleneck?
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How does hybrid implementation differ from pure interpretation?
How does hybrid implementation differ from pure interpretation?
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What is the role of a preprocessor in the compilation process?
What is the role of a preprocessor in the compilation process?
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What type of programming environment is Microsoft Visual Studio.NET primarily used for?
What type of programming environment is Microsoft Visual Studio.NET primarily used for?
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Which implementation method is characterized by fast execution and slow translation?
Which implementation method is characterized by fast execution and slow translation?
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What defines Just-in-Time (JIT) implementation systems?
What defines Just-in-Time (JIT) implementation systems?
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In the compilation process, what does the semantic analysis phase accomplish?
In the compilation process, what does the semantic analysis phase accomplish?
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What is a consequence of Java requiring checks for array indexing?
What is a consequence of Java requiring checks for array indexing?
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What is the main advantage of using a hybrid implementation system?
What is the main advantage of using a hybrid implementation system?
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What does the term 'load module' refer to in the context of compilation?
What does the term 'load module' refer to in the context of compilation?
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Which of the following best describes the readability versus writability trade-off in programming languages?
Which of the following best describes the readability versus writability trade-off in programming languages?
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Study Notes
Programming Languages (CS320)
- Course taught by Dr. Osama Helmy
- Email address: [email protected]
Chapter 1 Topics
- Reasons for studying concepts of programming languages
- Programming domains
- Programming language genealogy
- Language evaluation criteria
- Influences on language design
- Language categories
- Language design trade-offs
- Implementation methods
- Programming environments
Reasons for Studying Concepts of Programming Languages
- Increased ability to express ideas
- Improved background for choosing appropriate languages
- Increased ability to learn new languages
- Better understanding of the significance of implementation
- Better use of already known languages
- Overall advancement of computing
Programming Domains
- Scientific applications: Large floating-point computations, use of arrays (Fortran)
- Business applications: Produce reports, use decimal numbers, characters (COBOL)
- Artificial intelligence: Symbols rather than numbers, use of linked lists (LISP, Prolog, C)
- Systems programming: Need efficiency due to continuous use (C)
- Web software: Eclectic collection of languages: markup (HTML), scripting (JavaScript, PHP), general-purpose (Java)
Programming Language Genealogy
- A diagram showing the relationships and evolution of programming languages.
- Shows the relationships between different languages (e.g., LISP, FORTRAN, C, C++, Java) and their historical developments.
Language Evaluation Criteria
- Readability: The ease with which programs can be read and understood.
- Writability: The ease with which a language can be used to create programs.
- Reliability: Conformance to specifications (i.e., performs to specifications).
- Cost: The ultimate total cost of the language.
- Additional criteria include
- Simplicity
- Orthogonality
- Data types
- Syntax design
- Support for abstraction
- Expressivity
- Type checking
- Exception handling
- Restricted aliasing
- Portability
- Generality
- Well-definedness
Evaluation Criteria: Readability
- Overall simplicity: Manageable set of features and constructs, minimal feature multiplicity, minimal operator overloading.
- Orthogonality: relatively small set of primitives can be combined in a relatively small number of ways. Every possible combination is legal.
- Data types: adequate predefined data types.
- Syntax considerations: flexible composition of identifiers and statements, self-descriptive constructs, meaningful keywords.
Evaluation Criteria: Writability
- Simplicity and orthogonality: few constructs, small number of primitives, small set of rules for combining them.
- Support for abstraction: Ability to define and use complex structures or operations, allowing details to be ignored.
- Expressivity: relatively convenient methods for specifying operations; strength and number of operators and predefined functions.
Evaluation Criteria: Reliability
- Type checking: Testing for type errors.
- Exception handling: Intercepts runtime errors and takes corrective measures.
- Aliasing: Presence of two or more distinct referencing methods for the same memory location.
- Readability and writability: A language that does not support "natural" ways of expressing an algorithm will require the use of “unnatural” approaches, reducing reliability.
Evaluation Criteria: Cost
- Training programmers.
- Writing programs.
- Compiling programs.
- Executing programs.
- Language implementation system (availability of free compilers).
- Reliability.
- Maintaining programs.
Influences on Language Design
- Computer architecture (von Neumann Architecture): Languages are developed around prevalent computer architectures.
- Program design methodologies: New software development methodologies (e.g., object-oriented) led to new programming languages.
Computer Architecture Influence
- Well-known computer architecture: Von Neumann.
- Imperative languages are dominant due to von Neumann computers: Data and programs stored in memory, memory is separate from the CPU, instructions and data are piped from memory to CPU, Basis for imperative languages, variables as model memory cells, assignment statements as model piping, iteration is efficient.
The von Neumann Architecture
- Contains memory, control unit, arithmetic logic unit (ALU), Input/Output (I/O) devices.
- Fetch-execute cycle, initializes program counter, repeat forever, fetch the instruction pointed to by the counter, increments the counter, decodes the instruction, executes the instruction, end repeat.
Programming Methodologies Influences
- 1950s and early 1960s: Simple applications, worry about machine efficiency.
- Late 1960s: People efficiency became important, readability, better control structures, structured programming, top-down design and step-wise refinement.
- Late 1970s: Process-oriented to data-oriented, data abstraction.
- Middle 1980s: Object-oriented programming, data abstraction + inheritance + polymorphism.
Language Categories
- Imperative: Central features are variables, assignment statements, and iteration, support object-oriented programming, include scripting languages, include visual languages (e.g., C, Java, Perl, JavaScript, Visual BASIC .NET, C++).
- Functional: Main means of computation is applying functions to given parameters; examples include LISP, Scheme, ML, F#.
- Logic: Rule-based, rules specified in no particular order, example is Prolog.
- Markup/programming hybrid: Markup languages (HTML, XML) extended to support some programming, examples include JSTL, XSLT.
Language Design Trade-Offs
- Reliability vs. cost of execution (e.g., Java demands that all array references be checked for proper indexing).
- Readability vs. writability (e.g., APL provides many powerful operators).
- Writability (flexibility) vs. reliability (e.g., C++ pointers).
Implementation Methods
- Compilation: Programs are translated into machine language (includes JIT systems). Used for large commercial applications.
- Pure Interpretation: Programs are interpreted by another program (interpreter). Used for small programs or when efficiency isn't a concern.
- Hybrid Implementation Systems: Compromise between compilers and pure interpreters. Used for small and medium systems when efficiency isn't the first concern.
- Just-in-Time (JIT) Systems: Initially translates programs to intermediate language. Then compiles the intermediate language of subprograms into machine code when they are called. Machine code version is kept for subsequent calls; widely used for Java and .NET.
- Preprocessors: Preprocessor macros specify code from another file to be included. They process the program before compilation (example: C preprocessor #include, #define)
Programming Environments
- Collection of tools used in software development (e.g., UNIX, Microsoft Visual Studio .NET, NetBeans).
- UNIX: An older OS with a tool collection, often used through a GUI (e.g., CDE, KDE, GNOME).
- Microsoft Visual Studio.NET: Large, complex environment used for Web and non-Web applications in .NET language.
- NetBeans: Related to Visual Studio.NET, except for applications in Java.
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Description
This quiz covers key concepts from Chapter 1 of the Programming Languages course CS320. Topics include reasons for studying programming languages, programming domains, and language design. Enhance your understanding of programming language evaluation and design trade-offs.
