I'll try to sum up the icon and compile thing quickly so as not to interrupt the design of SkyNet.
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My claim is simply that the machine instructions contained in those clumps almost certainly were produced by a traditional compiler using a traditional text-based programming language -- quite likely C.
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Textual representation of machine code is usually called assembly code. The actual machine code is in fact a sequence of bytes, but not human readable in the slightest. The LV product contains a compiler which writes machine instructions into memory based on the passes over the graph -- no calls to gcc or asm, nothing up the sleeve.
There are actually numerous ways for LV to target a platform, the compiler is the most common, another is a bytecode/VM method used for small targets such as the NXT, and the third is a translator that does produce C or VHDL to more quickly be able to use vendor specific tools. So while this is a way LV to target VxWorks, it is not the method being used.
As for icons replacing text, I don't think that is the right comparison to make. In fact text is just a sequence of graphics. Textual and mathematical language is just as abstract, if not more so, than a drawing.
The issue is the expressiveness of the programming language. Would you rather write down a paragraph about the sunset or snap a photo? Is a map better than directions? Is a picture of food better than a recipe? It all depends on what you are trying to do. IMO, the best environment would let you pick based on the task. Did I mention that LV has had a formula box since 1.0?
And now ... back to SkyNet.
Greg McKaskle