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Ask HN: What is Programming?

2 points by duiker101 16y ago

I know this can seems a silly question, and probably is, but i was asking myself this question. Often i hear people calling javascript (or even html??), and things like that, a programming language, is this correct? What is a programming language? what is a scripting language? when is correct to use this terms? Do i have to know some particulare language to call myself a programmer? a developer? a coder? If i use only java, what am i for example? Is there a standard or something? Thanks for your answers, if you don't mind you can also take this little survey, results will make things even more clear . http://www.whatprogramming.tk Thanks

JanezStupar 16y ago
Those are labels that novices use to ease their insecurities. Programming is any intentional activity that makes machines do whatever they do. So in this broad sense a mechanical engineer constructing new contraption is also partially programmer. Just not very productive one in terms of amount of information processed.
apas 16y ago
HTML is a mark-up language, not a programming one. JavaScript is a scripting language. That's a scripting language: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scripting_language http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scripting_language Regarding "What is programming?", I'd answer: Imagine a painter and a programmer. A painter, starts with a blank canvas, slowly starts sketching, then fixing the sketches, then he colors the sketches (many methods, he's the one to decide), then fixing colors, then he is finished. He produces art. Well, the same applies with the programmer. He starts with a blank editor, slowly writes codes, fixes it, re-writes, fixes, maybe attaches UI, fixes UI -- and so on -- until he ships the final program. That's art, too. It's our art, the generation of hackers, geeks, nerds. People who speak via electrodes and the Internet, open-minded people, people who contradict the system, "RIAAs", governments--the world itself. For better or for worse, that's what I like to think of programming. A tool that can set us free (but also, in the wrong hands, do harm.)
gvb 16y ago
The technical criteria is generally considered to be that a language must be Turing Complete to be considered a programming language: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turing_completeness http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turing_completeness
- cygwin98 16y ago
  That makes sense. For example, standard SQL is not considered a programming language, as it's not turing complete, neither is HTML for the same reason. Interestingly, some proprietary SQL dialects such as PL/SQL (Oracle) and T-SQL (Microsoft) are considered programming languages due to their turing-completeness.