• SPL/3000 (was Re: Alternatives to C)

    From Kragen Javier Sitaker@3:633/10 to All on Thu Aug 27 21:30:41 2026
    scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) writes:
    Those clever people _were_ cranking out suitable systems languages by
    the bucketful. (...), HP-3000 SPL (Systems Programming Language - I
    used SPL in the late 70s)

    I?m interested to hear how SPL compared to C and Pascal from your
    perspective. I?ve never talked to anyone who had the chance to use it. Glancing at <http://bitsavers.informatik.uni-stuttgart.de/pdf/hp/3000/spl/30000-90025_System_Programming_Language_Textbook_197709.pdf#page=124>
    it looks pretty similar to them???a bit longer-winded and SHOUTIER than
    C, a bit more practical than Pascal, but showing a very strong family resemblance to both.

    One difference that leaps out at me is that, as with VAR parameters in
    Pascal or references in C++, dereferencing pointers apparently happens implicitly???it?s only when you want to reseat the pointer that you need
    to use the @ operator. But possibly I?m guessing wrong, since I haven?t actually read the textbook.

    Kragen

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.19
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Lawrence D?Oliveiro@3:633/10 to All on Fri Aug 28 04:33:19 2026
    On Thu, 27 Aug 2026 21:30:41 -0300, Kragen Javier Sitaker wrote:

    I?m interested to hear how SPL compared to C and Pascal from your perspective. I?ve never talked to anyone who had the chance to use
    it. Glancing at <http://bitsavers.informatik.uni-stuttgart.de/pdf/hp/3000/spl/30000-90025_System_Programming_Language_Textbook_197709.pdf#page=124>
    it looks pretty similar to them???a bit longer-winded and SHOUTIER
    than C, a bit more practical than Pascal, but showing a very strong
    family resemblance to both.

    It?s an ALGOL-60 derivative, complete with call-by-name for
    function/procedure arguments and a paucity of control constructs, it
    appears.

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.19
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)