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Re: Using The Principle of Least Power As A Razor

• To: "Bullard, Claude L (Len)" <len.bullard@i...>
• Subject: Re: Using The Principle of Least Power As A Razor
• From: Rick Marshall <rjm@z...>
• Date: Thu, 16 Feb 2006 15:14:38 +1100
• Cc: XML Developers List <xml-dev@l...>
• In-reply-to: <15725CF6AFE2F34DB8A5B4770B7334EE0BB1FDC5@h...>
• Organization: Zenucom Pty Ltd
• References: <15725CF6AFE2F34DB8A5B4770B7334EE0BB1FDC5@h...>
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i'm surprised noone took you up on this one len.

here's my simple take on this interesting probem:

1. you need to distinguish between power and typing - does language a 
require more or less typing? in general (flame me if you like) almost 
all languages derive their "power" from a decrease in the amount of 
typing to get the same result.
2. you need to distinguish between power and construct. the next 
generation language usually adds a conceptual level to the programming 
task, but really this just helps with the typing. the language derives 
power by shaping your thinking about the problem. then it's just a 
typing problem.
3. portability is just that, it's othogonal to power and so java adds 
little to the "power" debate. (and in the same vain so does my favourite 
- C)
4. real power. is there a one to one mapping from the language to 
machine code?
5. compare programming languages with programming languages and 
representations with representations

so here's how to rate them (imho)

1. a is more powerful than b if it cannot be mapped directly to machine 
code (ie compiled)
2. a is more powerful than b if contains more concepts
3. a is more powerful than b if it requires less typing

a similar set of rules can be applied to representations


rick

Bullard, Claude L (Len) wrote:

>When selecting a language, how does one know when it has the 'least power'?
>
>o  Is Assembler less or more powerful than C?
>
>o  Is C less or more powerful than C++?
>
>o  Is Lisp less or more powerful than Prolog?
>
>o  Is RDF less or more powerful than Conceptual Graphs?
>
>o  Are Conceptual Graphs more or less powerful than Topic Maps?
>
>o  Are DTDs less or more powerful than Schematron?
>
>A principle or axiom is of no value without the rules for applying it. 
>
>len
>
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