Fun_People Archive
28 Mar
Programming Languages Compared With Cars

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From: Peter Langston <psl>
Date: Fri, 28 Mar 97 15:42:35 -0800
To: Fun_People
Subject: Programming Languages Compared With Cars

Forwarded-by: duffy@Paoli.ATM.LMCO.COM

Programming Languages Compared With Cars
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++	

Assembler       - A formula I race car.  Very fast but difficult to drive
		  and maintain.

FORTRAN II      - A Model T Ford.  Once it was the king of the road.

FORTRAN IV      - A Model A Ford.

FORTRAN 77      - a six-cylinder Ford Fairlane with standard transmission
		  and no seat belts.

COBOL           - A delivery van.  It's bulky and ugly but it does the work.

BASIC           - A second-hand Rambler with a rebuilt engine and patched
		  upholstery.  Your dad bought it for you to learn to drive.
		  You'll ditch it as soon as you can afford a new one.

PL/I            - A Cadillac convertable with automatic transmission, a
		  two-tone paint job, white-wall tires, chrome exhaust
		  pipes, and fuzzy dice hanging in the windshield.

C               - A black Firebird, the all macho car.  Comes with optional
		  seatbelt (lint) and optional fuzz buster (escape to
		  assembler).

ALGOL 60        - An Austin Mini.  Boy that's a small car.

Pascal          - A Volkswagon Beetle.  It's small but sturdy.  Was once
		  popular with intellectual types.

Modula II       - A Volkswagon Rabbit with a trailer hitch.

ALGOL 68        - An Aston Martin.  An impressive car but not just anyone
		  can drive it.

LISP            - An electric car.  It's simple but slow.  Seat belts are
		  not available.

PROLOG/LUCID    - Prototype concept cars.

Maple/MACSYMA   - All-terrain vehicles.

FORTH           - A go-cart.

LOGO            - A kiddie's replica of a Rolls Royce.  Comes with a
		  real engine and a working horn.

APL             - A double-decker bus.  It takes rows and columns of
		  passengers to the same place all at the same time
		  but it drives only in reverse and is instrumented
		  in Greek.

Ada             - An army-green Mercedes-Benz staff car.  Power steering,
		  power brakes, and automatic transmission are standard.
		  No other colors or options are available.  If it's good
		  enough for generals, it's good enough for you.
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