Communications of the ACM
ACM News
50 Things That Made the Modern Economy
The compiler is a remarkable innovation that made modern computing possible.
Credit: Bettman/Getty Images
Tim Harford explains the extraordinary power of the compiler: a remarkable innovation which made modern computing possible. The compiler evolved into COBOL – one of the first computer languages – and led to the distinction between hardware and software. Without the compiler, it might take you 5,000 years to install Windows. This compelling story has at its heart a pioneering woman called Grace Hopper who – along the way – single-handedly invented the idea of open source software too.
From BBC World Service
View Full Article
No entries found