The Evolution of Programming Systems

In spite of a host of uncoordinated, and largely incompatible, developments in the programming field, a number of standard forms and principles are beginning to emerge. Many of the basic ideas, though known and applied in the very early days of electronic computing, have been carried to a high degree of implementation in the last few years. The tendency to overemphasize particular operational features is giving way to a healthier view that a variety of techniques are available and each has its place. They can be brought together into a special system as required for the purpose at hand, both economically and quickly, as soon as certain current efforts are brought to fruition. Unless this is done soon, the rapid advances in hardware capabilities would appear to be reaching the point of diminishing returns.