Introduction:
Programming languages have been around for decades, and they continue to evolve as technology advances. However, there are many programming languages that have come and gone over the years. In this article, we will explore some of the earliest programming languages that were developed and discuss which one was not an early programming language.
Early Programming Languages:
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FORTRAN (1957): FORTRAN (Formula Translation) was one of the first high-level programming languages developed in the 1950s. It was designed to simplify programming and make it easier for scientists and engineers to write programs. FORTRAN is still used today in scientific and engineering applications.
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COBOL (1959): COBOL (COmmon Business Oriented Language) was another early programming language developed in the late 1950s and early 1960s. It was designed for business applications and is still used today in some organizations.
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Pascal (1970): Pascal was a procedural programming language that was developed in the 1970s. It was named after French mathematician Blaise Pascal and was designed to be easy to learn and use. Pascal is still used today in some applications, particularly in game development.
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BASIC (1974): BASIC (Beginner’s All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code) was a high-level programming language that was developed in the 1970s. It was designed to be easy to learn and use, even for beginners. BASIC is still used today in some educational settings and for scripting tasks.
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Ada (1983): Ada was a procedural programming language that was developed in the early 1980s. It was named after Ada Lovelace, a mathematician who is considered to be the world’s first computer programmer. Ada is still used today in some applications, particularly in embedded systems.
Which One Was Not an Early Programming Language?
The programming language that was not an early programming language is BASIC. While BASIC was developed in the 1970s, it was not one of the earliest high-level programming languages. FORTRAN, COBOL, Pascal, and Ada were all developed before BASIC and are considered to be among the first programming languages.
History and Evolution of Programming Languages:
The history of programming languages dates back to the 1940s when the first electronic computers were developed. The first programming language was called “Assembly,” which was a low-level language that allowed programmers to write instructions in machine code. Other early programming languages, such as FORTRAN and COBOL, were designed to simplify programming and make it easier for scientists and engineers to write programs.
As technology advanced, new programming languages were developed to meet the needs of different applications. Pascal was developed in the 1970s as a procedural language that was easy to learn and use. Ada was developed in the early 1980s as a procedural language for embedded systems. BASIC was developed in the 1970s as a high-level language for beginners.
Today, there are thousands of programming languages in use, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. Some programming languages are designed for specific tasks or applications, while others are more general-purpose languages that can be used for a variety of tasks.
Impact of Programming Languages:
Programming languages have had a significant impact on society and industry. They have made it possible to automate many tasks that were previously performed by humans, which has led to increased efficiency and productivity in many industries. Programming languages have also made it possible to develop new technologies and applications, such as social media platforms, mobile apps, and video games.
In conclusion, while there are many programming languages that have come and gone over the years, only a few can be considered among the earliest high-level programming languages.