 a new programming language called Lingo
started 6/8/2003; 9:01:43 AM - last post 6/10/2003; 8:49:24 PM
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Dan Shappir - a new programming language called Lingo 
6/8/2003; 9:01:43 AM (reads: 2325, responses: 6)
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| a new programming language called Lingo |
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via Joel on Software
Lingo is a high level computer language that makes it easy to develop software for Microsoft Windows. It's simple to use with a wide range of commands for most programming tasks. It's designed so beginners can get started quickly, and it has safety features that detect common programming errors.
From the JoS forum:
Although comparisons are difficult, Lingo would probably seem most like a mix of Eiffel and VB3.
The obligatory "hello world" program:
Lingo 1 module Myfirst
function main()
contents
function main()
var name:string[*]
code
name <- Inputbox("Myfirst","Type in name","")
call Msgbox("Myfirst","Hello "+name)
end function
end module
Posted to general by Dan Shappir on 6/8/03; 9:08:01 AM
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Ehud Lamm - Re: a new programming language called Lingo
6/8/2003; 9:49:57 AM (reads: 1298, responses: 0)
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I am reminded of this quote:
In a sense, the whole history of new programming languages and class libraries for Windows has involved the struggle to reduce the windows hello-world program down to something small, sleek, and elegant. -- Petzold, Programming Microsoft Windows with C#, Microsoft Press, 2002, p. 47
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Chris - Re: a new programming language called Lingo
6/9/2003; 8:47:56 PM (reads: 1133, responses: 1)
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Lingo is also the name of the programming language used in Macromedia Director (aka Shockwave).
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Dan Shappir - Re: a new programming language called Lingo
6/9/2003; 11:50:54 PM (reads: 1146, responses: 0)
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Lingo is also the name of the programming language used in Macromedia Director
This issue was mentioned, and responded to, in the original thread on JoS.
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Isaac Gouy - Re: a new programming language called Lingo
6/10/2003; 12:06:13 AM (reads: 1120, responses: 0)
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Dominic Fox - Re: a new programming language called Lingo
6/10/2003; 2:33:07 PM (reads: 1039, responses: 0)
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I wonder what the design process involved in designing this language "for beginners" was. It doesn't look to me like a beginner's language in the way that Logo, or Squeak's Smalltalk, or even Scheme might be. There's a fair amount of information you have to give the compiler before anything can happen; and it's not clear that this verbiage is meant to aid expression so much as it's intended to make you do "the right thing".
For instance, the language apparently has static typing and mandatory variable declarations, but the type system looks so rudimentary that these seem more like busy-work for the sake of the compiler than part of the expressive apparatus of the language. I don't mean that a statically-typed language is necessarily unsuitable for beginners, but I'd rather have something that inferred types (a la Haskell) where possible, and made the construction and combination of types a major part of the design of the program from the outset rather than a minor task to be performed repetitively as a prerequisite for getting the real work done. Why model a "beginner's language" on C?
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rev - Re: a new programming language called Lingo
6/10/2003; 8:49:24 PM (reads: 1040, responses: 0)
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Dominic Fox makes a good point about what makes this a beginner's language. Looking at it, I can't see anything that really suggests that. The verbosity seems to in a way, in that, it may be easier to remember "var," "function," "end," etc for someone brand new to programming. I don't think this is something big enough to make it a feature- most newbies could get used to something less wordy within a short period of time. But then again, maybe it's just because I'm not big on that ultraverbose Eiffel stuff.
Has anyone seen what this language offers that others in its class don't? Anything that distinguishes other than its barely different syntax? I will likely download it and play some at work tommorow, but don't have that opportunity now.
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