The tinman and communications applications

Abstract

The design of a programming language is based largely on criteria derived from the needs of its intended users. These criteria depend strongly on the applications area for which the language is intended. In designing a Communications Oriented Language (COL), we have been influenced by forces somewhat at variance from those which have influenced the Tinman. We have thus designed a language which, although conforming in many ways to the Tinman, also differs from it in some significant ways. We discuss first the philosophy that has governed our design, with particular emphasis on ways in which our goals differ from those of the Tinman. We then illustrate how such differences have led to features in the COL that are at variance with the Tinman criteria.

Prepared for the workshop on the design and implementation of programming languages cornell university September 30 and October 1, 1976

September 29, 1976

This work was supported by the Defense Communications Agency under contract no. DCA100-76-C-0051.