When it comes to recounting the history of programming, a good starting point would be the difference engine created by Charles Babbage in 1822. Even though computers were quite primitive at that time, they still required instructions in order to perform the tasks that were inputted into them. These sets of instructions are what we now know as computer programming.
During the time of the difference engine, the gears had to be manually changed to perform calculations. However, this changed with the introduction of the ENIAC in 1942, a machine created by the US government that used signals of electricity to replace physical motion. This machine also accepted programming, which was a groundbreaking concept.
To make programming faster, two concepts were developed in 1945 by John Von Neumann, who was working with the Institute for Advanced Study. The first concept was the shared-program method, which required that the hardware used for programming be non-complex and not hand-wired for every program. This allowed for the use of intricate instructions to control the hardware and made reprogramming much quicker.
The second concept developed by John Von Neumann in 1945 was called the ‘conditional control transfer’. This concept gave rise to code blocks that could be used in different orders, or in what we now call subroutines. The logical branching aspect of this concept allowed for the creation of code blocks that could be used and reused.
In 1949, the Short Code language was introduced, which became the foundation for electronic device computer language. Instead of using typical statements, this language required programmers to use 0’s and 1’s. In 1951, Grace Hopper created the A-0 compiler, which translated all the 0’s and 1’s for the computer, making programming much faster.
The FORTRAN (FORmula TRANslating System) language was introduced in 1957 as the first key language, designed by IBM for scientific computation. It included GOTO, DO, and IF statements, but was not well-suited for business computing. Although it was good for number handling, it was not ideal for business computations.
In 1959, COBOL was developed as a language specifically for businessmen. The COBOL program was structured like an essay, consisting of four or five sections that made it easy to study.
The LISP language, designed for artificial intelligence study, was created in 1958 by John McCarthy. It is highly abstract and specific, which is why it is still in use today. LISP is capable of storing and modifying lists on its own.
The Algol language was produced in the same year as LISP. It served as the foundation for the Pascal language, as well as C, C++, and Java. Algol also had the first proper grammar known as the Backus-Naur form (BNF). Algol 68, the next version, was more difficult to use. As a result, Pascal was created.
In 1968, Niklaus Wirth introduced the Pascal language as a necessary means of teaching. It combined elements from ALGOL, FORTRAN, and COBOL. Pascal also improved the pointer data form, but its lack of variable groups led to its downfall. Modula-2 was then introduced, but C had already become popular among many users.
If we are to retell the history of programming, it would be safe to start with Charles Babbage’s difference engine in 1822. Even though computers were simple back then, they still needed instructions to perform tasks, which today is known as computer programming. During the difference engine’s era, gears had to be manually changed to perform calculations. However, this changed in 1942 when the US government introduced ENIAC, which accepted programming and replaced physical motion with signals of electricity.
To speed up programming, John Von Neumann developed two concepts in 1945 that directly influenced programming languages. The first was the shared-program method, which made reprogramming quicker by using intricate instructions to control non-complex hardware. The second concept called the “conditional control transfer” gave birth to code blocks that could be used and reused in different orders or subroutines.
In 1949, the Short Code language was introduced, requiring programmers to use 0’s and 1’s instead of the usual statements. In 1951, Grace Hopper introduced the A-0 compiler, which translated all the 0’s and 1’s for the computer, leading to much quicker programming. FORTRAN was then introduced in 1957, designed for IBM for scientific computation, and included the GOTO, DO, and IF statements.
COBOL, developed in 1959, was designed as a businessman’s language, comparable to an essay with 4-5 sections comprising a major whole. The LISP language, developed in 1958 for artificial intelligence study, can store and modify lists. The Algol language, produced in 1958, became the mother of the Pascal language, C and C++, and Java.
C, developed by Dennis Ritchie in 1972 and used by Unix, is comparable to Pascal and is used in Windows, Linux, and MacOS. In the 1970s to the 1980s, OOP was developed, leading to the C++ language in 1983, which can manipulate many tasks all at the same time. In 1987, Perl was developed, followed by Java in 1994. Microsoft also developed VB or Visual Basic, which uses widgets and is now widely used.
Looking at the languages in use today, we can only wonder what ‘impossibilities’ could be made possible very soon, as the future holds many more developments for computer programming.
