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programming language = instructions computer follows to complete a task
Define "programming language"
Define "language"
Define "programming"
Define "define" -
@Demolishun I think it's a requirement for programming languages to be Turing complete on their own.
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@Lor-inc Where is that defined? I have never seen that requirement. I have seen that as a "real" programming languages are turing complete, but never in a definition. It is usually employed to condescend to certain classes of programmers.
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@Lor-inc Also, I think most browsers support xml stylesheets which is a turing complete language/extension. So you don't need CSS to achieve that.
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@Demolishun It isn't defined anywhere, the main reason why I say this is that if a programming language doesn't need to be Turing complete then what's considered a computer also becomes uncertain. Eg. Is a bicycle transmission system a computer? It has input, output and a program consisting of two instructions, even if that program is limited to at most 6 combinations on your average city bike.
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@Lor-inc Programming Language is not precise enough. I like how Wikipedia divides them up: computational languages and data languages. It would make sense that a computational language have a turing completeness requirement, where a data language may have instructions, but not be computationally complete. All falling under the general Programming Language umbrella. So maybe the limits of the term are at fault.
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@Lor-inc Like a program is defined as instructions and data. In some cases the program is entirely instructions, and in other cases it is entirely data. But you can still program the machine to do something. Programming language is a formalization of this process. I dunno, its preference I guess.
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@Demolishun So this means that a computer is a device that can be instructed in some computational language, such that a machine that can only render html with no style isn't a computer. Yeah, this would make sense.
Now, the only problem is that no one will care because debating is more fun than deciding on sensible definitions. -
@Lor-inc Yeah, I usually say shit about this because it reeks with elitist smell. At least I try to make it out like it does. Its like when Seinfeld says "Newman" in a disdainful way. Another tact is say "Who is Turing?"
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