Fifth-generation programming language: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 01:59, 25 May 2008

Revision as of 13:35, 14 June 2008

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These types of languages were also built upon Lisp, many originating on the [[Lisp machine]]. [[ICAD]] is a good example. Then, there are many [[frame language]]s, such as [[KL-ONE]].

In the [[1990s]], fifth-generation languages were considered to be the wave of the future, and some predicted that they would replace all other languages for system development, with the exception of low-level languages. Most notably, from 1982 to 1993 [[Japan]] <ref name="Ref1">{{cite web|url=http://www.atariarchives.org/deli/fifth_generation.php|title=FIFTH-GENERATION COMPUTERS|accessdate=2008-03-05|author=Richard Grigonis}}</ref> <ref name="Ref2">{{cite web|url=http://www.cs.kuleuven.ac.be/~dtai/projects/ALP/|title=Association for Logic Programming (ALP)|accessdate=2008-03-05|author=APL}}</ref> put much research and money into their [[fifth generation computer systems project]], hoping to design a massive computer network of machines using these tools.

However, as larger programs were built, the flaws of the approach became more apparent. It turns out that, starting from a set of constraints defining a particular problem, deriving an efficient algorithm to solve it is a very difficult problem in itself. This crucial step cannot yet be automated and still requires the insight of a human programmer.

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== Common misconception ==

From time to time vendors in the application development space have claimed 5GL (5th generation language) capabilities.<ref>[http://www.it-analysis.com/channels/content.php?cid=9096 What makes a 5GL?]</ref> Most of the time they actually sell 4GLs with a higher level of automation and knowledge base. Since the 5GL awareness has dropped because the hype of the 80's quickly faded away and that the projects were eventually all dropped; this has opened doors to the vendors to re-use the term in marketing their new tools, without causing much controversy among the current generations of programmers. Their tools actually consist of 4GLs packed with [[Rapid_application_developmentRapid application development|RAD]] wizards, case tools and other graphical coding assistance that facilitates code generation.

However, these 'time-saving' tools and features in no way constitute an actual higher level of abstraction than the current 4GL, business oriented development tools.

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==References==

{{reflist}}

{{Programming language generations}}