APB(ID:7227/APB001)

French autocoder 

Automatic programming system for the Gamma ET
Related languages
AP3 => APB   Evolution of
References:
  • Baccuus, Pierra; and Pouzet, Pierre "APB automatic programming system for Bull (GAMMA ET) computer" Rev. Francaise Traitement de l'lnf. 7, 1 (Jan. 1964), 3-14. (French) view details
  • Martinelli, Julieta review of Baccuus and Pouzet 1964 view details Abstract: The paper describes an automatic programming language (APB) for Bull GAMMA (drum storage) computer in use in French universities where that computer is available. The main characteristic of the language is the automatic progression of subscripted variables subscripts.

    ALGOL is used in the description of the language, the effect of each APB instruction being explained by the equivalent in ALGOL.

    The authors have successfully done the job, but a criticism must be made as to: the French translation of the basic symbols of ALGOL. We find, for instance, compound statements enclosed by debut . . . fin, instead of our familiar begin . . . end; real array becomes reel tableau, a for statement became pour J: = 1 pas 1, jusqu'a N faire . . . and so on.

    As to the use of English words as basic symbols in ALGOL, it is interesting to go back to the origins of that language (see "Preliminary Report -- International Algebraic Language", ACM-GAMM Committee, June 1958 -- p. 9: "...Indeed the GAMM group had planned on its own initiative to use English words whenever needed..."). If the German group, pioneer m algorithmic languages, had made this suggestion, why should not all of us, non-English-language people, learn the 24 English words (only 24!) which are ALGOL basic symbols? Many proposed changes in the ALGOL language have been discussed for various reasons through the years. Nobody, as far as I know, has proposed to modify the initial GAMM group suggestion.

    Finally, the authors say that besides the use of APB language by the GAMMA Magnetic Drum computer, a compiler for the IBM 1620 is available. We cannot see, however, the advantages of APB over the FORTRAN language for the 1620. Even the sample program at the end of the paper (matrix multiplication), which being chosen for exemplification is supposed to be a good example of the advantages of the language, can be more easily programmed in FORTRAN.

          in ACM Computing Reviews 5(06) November-December 1964 view details