Fifth-generation programming language: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 22:53, 5 July 2009

Revision as of 15:52, 6 July 2009

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These types of languages were also built upon Lisp, many originating on the [[Lisp machine]], such as [[ICAD]]. 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.{{factCitation needed|date=July 2009}} 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=ALP}}</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.

Today, fifth-generation languages have lost part of their initial appeal{{FactCitation needed|date=January 2009}} and are mostly used in academic circles.

== 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 [[4GL]]s 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 [[4GL]]s packed with [[Rapid application development|RAD]] wizards, [[Computer-aided software engineering|CASE]] tools and other graphical coding assistance that facilitates code generation.

Some argue that the graphical approach to easing programming is the real next step in practically raising the level of abstraction (although this paradigm has not yet been fully realized).{{FactCitation needed|date=December 2008}}

==See also==

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*[[WorkXpress]]

{{Programming language generations}}

[[Category:Programming language classification]]

==References==

{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fifth-Generation Programming Language}}

[[Category:Programming language classification]]

[[fr:L5G]]