Thread: Why I hate c
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Unread 21-03-2004, 08:21
Mercutio Mercutio is offline
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Re: Why I hate c

Quote:
Originally Posted by Texan
That [wiring vacuum tubes together] really isn't programming any more than revising an electrial circuit is. When you see someone substitute one circuit board for another, you don't think, "Wow, that's great programming."
I'm reminded of ENIAC, where programming consisted of moving plugs around on a board designed specifically for that purpose (it looked kinda like an old-time telephone switchboard). To us, programming consists of moving characters around in a text file designed specifically for that purpose. In both cases, there is a box full of vaccuum tubes or a wafer full of transistors sitting behind the program to interpret it. In both cases, programming makes an actual mechanical change to the machine -- with ENIAC, to the plugboard, and with us, to the patterns of charge or magnetism in the hard disk, flash memory, whatever. I don't think it's fair to call one programming and the other not.

p.s. sorry bout the double-post
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Last edited by Mercutio : 21-03-2004 at 08:24.