Programming Languages and Compilers
Monday: programming languages, tradeoffs, convenience, performance, and maintainability.
Wednesday: compilers, verification, code optimization, approximation, portability.
Discussion Questions:
Monday
- Why are there so many different programming languages?
- What are the advantages of Swift over alternative languages for developing cell phone apps?
Wednesday
- How do compilers help programmers write bug free code?
- What are some pros and cons of writing web apps (in HTML) versus writing apps to run natively for iOS or Android?
Readings and Media:
Monday
- Languages, Levels, Libraries, and Longevity, John Mashey, ACMqueue, December 2004.
- Lyft Goes Swift: How (And Why) It Rewrote Its App From Scratch in Apple’s New Language, Harry McCraken, fastcompany.com, September 2015.
- Programming Language Can Build Synthetic DNA Michelle Ma, Bioscience Technology, October 2013.
Wednesday
- Coverty Gets Code Right 25\% Faster Peter Cohan, Forbes, December 2011.
- HTML5 vs Native: The Mobile App Debate, Michael Mahemoff, html5rocks.com, June 2011.
- New mathematical framework formalizes oddball programming techniques, Larry Hardesty, MIT News, May 2012.
XKCD: Python
