Preliminary thoughts:
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FIVE GENERATIONS OF PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES |
| FIRST GENERATION: Machine language (strings of 0s and 1s). This is the only language the CPU understands. Each type of CPU has its own language and they are not transferable. |
| SECOND GENERATION: Assembly language (3-letter codes). Easier for programmers to use. Use an assembler to translate from ASSEMBLY to MACHINE. |
| THIRD GENERATION: High level programming languages (FORTRAN, COBOL, BASIC, PASCAL, C, C++, RPG, ADA, SQL, LOGO). All of the languages used to produce what's on your desk are high level languages. |
| The above three generations are all procedural languages - you have to tell the computer exactly how to do something. |
| FOURTH GENERATION: Very high level programming languages. An interpreter translates as you go (each time) versus a complier which translates once and leaves latest version. |
| FIFTH GENERATION: Natural languages (voice recognition and artificial intelligence) |
| The last two generations are non-procedural where step-by-step instructions are not necessary (the computer figures it out). Fourth generation is still however bound by rules. |