Structure of a File Oriented Programming Language, GPLAN-BL-1
ROBERT H. BONCZEK, Andrew B. Whinston · IIASA PURE (International Institute of Applied Systems Analysis) · 1975
Modern computer science has developed languages along many distinct paths; three are: Operating System Languages (e.g., OS/JCL), High Level Procedural Languages (e.g., FORTRAN), and High Level Non-Procedural Data Base Languages (e.g., ALPHA, SQUARE, GPLAN). The purpose of each of these is to solve a particular problem, namely, to simplify the work of the programmer, so that a majority of his time could be spent on his own application. The development of data manipulation procedures has also proceeded independently; of programming languages only in the programming language LISP are data and program expressed in a common manner. We feel that the time has come for a new approach to computer language evolution, especially for business oriented users. The combination of data, programs, and operating system into a single language would make a great simplification of the current state of affairs. The BL/I language is presented as a prototype for a data base oriented computer system, combining features from operating systems, programming languages, and data base languages.