COMP 144 Programming Language Concepts
Spring 2004

Programming Languages Compare-Off

We are going to take the last 3 class lecture periods to stage a

"programming languages compare-off".

• name bindings and scope rules (static, dynamic, modules, nested vs. non)
• type system
  • basic types
  • type constructors (user-defined types?)
  • other characterisitics (weak, strong, static, dynamic, explicit, inference)
• memory management
  • static (globals, code, class-data)
  • dynamic (stack, heap, garbage collection, explicit)
• call mechanisms (by-val, by-ref, by-val-res, by-name, etc...)
• eval strategy (eager, lazy)
• refs/pointers as first-class types
• higher-order functions
  • functions as first-class types
• object/class abstraction
  • inheritance (single, multiple)
• nondeterminism
• polymorphism (templates, generics, functors)
• concurrency (processes, coroutines, threads, fork/join)
• compiled vs. interpreted vs. mixed
• main intended use or domain of application
• support for or use of assertions/invariants/pre-post-conditions/contract

We are going to divy up a bunch of current and past languages, one per person, and you will prepare a brief presentation (10-minute maximum) that will do this:

1. discuss the questions and issues above
2. show a sample program, to allow you to explain the general look and feel of the language

Here is the list of languages

Java	ML	Perl	Prolog
Fortran IV	Pascal	Algol68	Cobol
C	C++	SmallTalk	C#
Haskell	Lisp (old)	CLisp/Scheme	OCaml
Ada	Icon	Snobol	Basic
Ruby	Python	Logo	Turing
Modula-2	Oberon	Eiffel	Simula
PL/1	Fortran 90	...	...
Linda	CSP	Mesa	CLU
Miranda	APL	Visual Basic	JavaScript

Here are the assigned languages

Noonan	CLisp/Scheme		Blacker(MA)	Ruby
VanLund	OCaml		McLin	Eiffel
Dale	Cobol		Han	APL
Weeks	C#		Turner	Snobol
VanAtta	C++		Brothers	C
Hester	Pascal		Gill	Python
Alexander	SmallTalk		Smith	Ada
Hoover	Haskell		Snyder	Algol 68
Blacker(CD)	TBA (nic)		Tillery	Fortran

What to 'hand in'

We will present in random order so everyone needs to have their materials ready to present Wednesday at class time. You have 10 minutes to complete your presentation. You are not trying to teach us the language, just give us a flavor of it by showing a sample program, perhaps noting what other languages it is similar to, and answering the questions above about the various language issues.

Prepare your work as a Web page so you can quickly display it when you present in class.

Email to me and your TA the URL for the Web page containing the presentation materials.