PDQ * Programming Languages plus an Overview of Alice Frank Ducrest, 5/21/08 * Pretty Darn Quick

Anything that can be done in hardware can be done in software, anything that can be done in software can be done in hardware, ... - Architectural Axiom about Modern Computers ... but you have to pick the right subset of instructions to create in hardware. PDQ Programming Languages plus an Overview of Alice

So what is software? Instructions to hardware. So what are instructions to hardware? Patterns of high and low electrical charges that energize / activate patterns of hardware circuits in a processor. i.e. Binary code. PDQ Programming Languages plus an Overview of Alice

So what is software?

Instructions to hardware.

So what are instructions to hardware?

Patterns of high and low electrical charges that energize / activate patterns of hardware circuits in a processor.

i.e. Binary code.

How does software get created? By a process known as programming. Alright, wise guy. What is programming? Direct creation of binary code. Or by use of a human level programming language and an intermediate program known as a compiler or an interpreter. The compiler or interpreter is passed the code created in the programming language and returns binary code. PDQ Programming Languages plus an Overview of Alice

How does software get created?

By a process known as programming.

Alright, wise guy. What is programming?

Direct creation of binary code.

Or by use of a human level programming language and an intermediate program known as a compiler or an interpreter. The compiler or interpreter is passed the code created in the programming language and returns binary code.

At last! What's a Programming Language? An artificial language that is used to control a computer. ... But beyond that, not everyone agrees what a programming language should be. ... And there has to be a separate interpreter or compiler for every language used on every processor type. PDQ Programming Languages plus an Overview of Alice

At last! What's a Programming Language?

An artificial language that is used to control a computer.

... But beyond that, not everyone agrees what a programming

language should be.

... And there has to be a separate interpreter or compiler for

every language used on every processor type.

Categories of programming Languages procedural vs. functional written (syntax & semantics) vs. non-written (semantics) generational - 1 st / 2 nd / 3 rd / 4 th object oriented vs. non-object oriented strongly typed vs. loosely typed general purpose vs. special purpose PDQ Programming Languages plus an Overview of Alice

Categories of programming Languages

procedural vs. functional

written (syntax & semantics) vs. non-written (semantics)

generational - 1 st / 2 nd / 3 rd / 4 th

object oriented vs. non-object oriented

strongly typed vs. loosely typed

general purpose vs. special purpose

PDQ Programming Languages plus an Overview of Alice Alice Example of a programming language with the following attributes procedural non-written, mostly (limited syntax, lots of semantics) strongly typed object oriented 4 th generation programming language special purpose: introducing object oriented programming concepts http://www.alice.org/ http://www.alice.org/index.php?page=downloads/download_alice

Alice

Example of a programming language with the following attributes

procedural

non-written, mostly (limited syntax, lots of semantics)

strongly typed

object oriented

4 th generation programming language

special purpose: introducing object oriented programming concepts

http://www.alice.org/

http://www.alice.org/index.php?page=downloads/download_alice

Alice IDE PDQ Programming Languages plus an Overview of Alice Editor World Window Welcome Dialog Box Events Area Object Tree Object Details

Preexisting Objects Libraries of preexisting objects locally and on the web Objects are selected and added to the world, then manipulated PDQ Programming Languages plus an Overview of Alice

Preexisting Objects

Libraries of preexisting objects locally and on the web

Objects are selected and added to the world, then manipulated

Object Methods Existing and programmer created Object Methods are used to contain calls to existing and created methods Structures are used to control execution of calls Parameters allow same method to change operation PDQ Programming Languages plus an Overview of Alice

Object Methods

Existing and programmer created Object Methods are used to contain calls to existing and created methods

Structures are used to control execution of calls

Parameters allow same method to change operation

Events Events determine what happens when PDQ Programming Languages plus an Overview of Alice

Events

Events determine what happens when

Play the World PDQ Programming Languages plus an Overview of Alice

Alice Books An Introduction to Programming Using Alice Charles W. Hebert Course Technology ISBN-10: 1418836257 ISBN-13: 978-1418836252 Learning To Program with Alice, 2nd Edition Dann, Cooper and Pausch Prentice Hall (available July 10, 2008) ISBN-10: 013208516X ISBN-13: 978-0132085168 Learning to Program with Alice, Brief Edition (Paperback) Dann, Cooper and Pausch Prentice Hall ISBN-10: 0132397757 ISBN-13: 978-0132397759 PDQ Programming Languages plus an Overview of Alice