Talk:Computer program: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 21:40, 14 June 2025

Revision as of 15:34, 15 June 2025

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::/2 yes, per my library example. [[Object file]] and [[object file]] are other examples of software that is not necessarily a computer program. ~[[User:Kvng|Kvng]] ([[User talk:Kvng|talk]]) 15:01, 14 June 2025 (UTC)

:::Yes, object files and other libraries are ready to be linked. Whereas they are not source code, they are computer programs. [[User:Timhowardriley|Timhowardriley]] ([[User talk:Timhowardriley|talk]]) 16:20, 14 June 2025 (UTC)

:::Followup: In "Comparative Programming Languages, Third Edition", the authors write, {{tq|"A computer is a tool that solves problems by means of programs (or software) written in a programming language."}} In the Implementation section is written, {{tq|"Execution of a program written in an imperative language, such as Pascal, Ada, or C++, normally takes place by translating (compiling) the source program into an equivalent machine code program. This machine code is then executed."}} In the Separate Compilation section is written, {{tq|"Packages ... can be compiled separately..."}} In "C How to Program, Second Edition", the author writes, {{tq|"The compiler translates the C program into machine language code (also referred to as object code)."}} Later it says, {{tq|"The fourth phase is called linking. C programs typically contain references to functions defined elsewhere such as in the standard libaries or in the libraries of a group of programmers working on a particular project."}} It also says, {{tq|"A linker links the object code with the code for the missing functions to produce an executable."}} Therefore, computer programs (also called software) are written in a programming language that gets translated to another computer program called machine language. Large computer programs may be separated into object code files for convenience. The entire library is then compiled to an executable computer program. Software (also called computer programs) can existsexist at different levels. At each level, it's still called software -- it's still called computer programs. [[User:Timhowardriley|Timhowardriley]] ([[User talk:Timhowardriley|talk]]) 21:40, 14 June 2025 (UTC)