Meeting the computational requirements of the university - the Brown University Interactive Language
Robert G. Munck · 1969
This paper is directed toward the computational requirements, both educational and research, of the university. The features needed in a programming language in a university are discussed, assuming both remote access and batch processing. The Brown University Interactive Language system (BRUIN) is described. BRUIN is implemented as a JOSS-like interpreter and a WATFOR-Like compiler and has a syntax very much like PL/I. It is intended that BRUIN and PL/I will together form a language system which will supply most of the (non-computer science) computational requirements of the university.The use of computers in universities is rapidly emerging into a new era. The computer is becoming increasingly involved in the educational process, as well as research, spurred on by the development of time-sharing interactive console systems. As our systems become more complex, users from departments and majors other than computer science are becoming confused by the number of languages, processors, and options available. There is a need for a single integrated language system for those non-computer scientists in the university who need computational facilities. This implies a single, high-level language in an interactive and batch-processing system which is convenient for everyone from the freshman calculus student to the senior researcher in particle physics. This language must meet a number of requirements, some of which are described below. We have attempted to provide such a facility at Brown University, based on a medium-sized computer with a fair number of remote consoles.