Wiley Beginning Programming 978-0-7645-8406-0 Manuale Utente
Codici prodotto
978-0-7645-8406-0
1
What Is Programming?
If you’ve picked up a book on programming, you must have a pretty good idea what programming
is. After all, why would you want to learn something if you don’t know what it is? However, many
students who are new to the wonderful world of programming, or even practitioners of the art
who have learned a little programming to do a particular job and built on their experience from
there, might benefit from a quick rundown of the history of programming, what programming is,
and where it’s at right now.
is. After all, why would you want to learn something if you don’t know what it is? However, many
students who are new to the wonderful world of programming, or even practitioners of the art
who have learned a little programming to do a particular job and built on their experience from
there, might benefit from a quick rundown of the history of programming, what programming is,
and where it’s at right now.
The Histor y of Programming
The history of programming spans more years than most people would imagine. Many people
think programming is an invention of the late twentieth century. In fact, the history of modern
programming and programming languages dates back nearly 60 years to the mid-1940s.
think programming is an invention of the late twentieth century. In fact, the history of modern
programming and programming languages dates back nearly 60 years to the mid-1940s.
However, before we pick up the story in the 1940s, we need to go still farther back in time, all the
way back to 1822 and Charles Babbage. While he was studying at Cambridge University in Britain,
Babbage came upon the realization that many of the calculating devices of the time, such as astro-
nomical tables, tidal charts, and navigational charts, all contained critical errors and omissions.
These errors caused the loss of many ships at sea, along with lives and cargo. Because he considered
human error to be the source of these inaccuracies, his idea was to take the guesswork out of creating
and maintaining such tables and charts by using steam-powered machines. One such machine,
dubbed the Difference Engine, was to occupy much of Babbage’s time for the rest of his life. He
even approached the British government for financial assistance — the first (but by no means last)
request for a government grant to fund computer science research.
way back to 1822 and Charles Babbage. While he was studying at Cambridge University in Britain,
Babbage came upon the realization that many of the calculating devices of the time, such as astro-
nomical tables, tidal charts, and navigational charts, all contained critical errors and omissions.
These errors caused the loss of many ships at sea, along with lives and cargo. Because he considered
human error to be the source of these inaccuracies, his idea was to take the guesswork out of creating
and maintaining such tables and charts by using steam-powered machines. One such machine,
dubbed the Difference Engine, was to occupy much of Babbage’s time for the rest of his life. He
even approached the British government for financial assistance — the first (but by no means last)
request for a government grant to fund computer science research.
After 10 years of working on the Difference Engine, Babbage realized that it was a single-purpose
machine that could ultimately only carry out one operation. He realized that this was a major limi-
tation and, for a time, abandoned it in favor of the more versatile Analytical Engine. This engine
would contain the basic components of a modern computer and led to Babbage’s being called the
“father of the computer.” The Analytical Engine did not gain wide acceptance because Babbage
suffered from an affliction that has plagued programmers and computer scientists across the
centuries: an inability to clearly document and convey his ideas!
machine that could ultimately only carry out one operation. He realized that this was a major limi-
tation and, for a time, abandoned it in favor of the more versatile Analytical Engine. This engine
would contain the basic components of a modern computer and led to Babbage’s being called the
“father of the computer.” The Analytical Engine did not gain wide acceptance because Babbage
suffered from an affliction that has plagued programmers and computer scientists across the
centuries: an inability to clearly document and convey his ideas!
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