Interactive Graphics in Data Processing: Language and systems support

In order to adapt existing display concepts and the power of data processing to specific interactive applications, the programmer depends on appropriate language and systems support. Dealing with such support in this section, the first paper discusses objectives in the design of the basic general-purpose package for FORTRAN users. Then a system is introduced that allows programming in a higher-level language and thus eases implementation for non-specialists. Conversational entry of application programs from a display console can be accomplished by a graphics job processor that is the subject of another paper. Also described is a system that interprets and executes FORTRAN statements as they are entered on the display screen. Looking into the future, the last paper proposes a problem-oriented language for handling three-dimensional geometric information.