2007-03-27 14:05:26 · 13 answers · asked by Tracee W 1 in Computers & Internet ➔ Programming & Design
umm because it is just like people's language. It needs to be different to keep things in order for others. But I mean it isn't that different, except for the language the code is written in
2007-03-27 14:09:52 · answer #1 · answered by dustinh456 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋
It would be the same as asking why there isn't just one spoken/written language in the world.
Different programming languages developed over decades by different people for different uses. Some died off and some kept going.
Different languages are better suited for certain types of applications than others. Some are easier to use than others. Some are more difficult to use but offer a greater level of complete control. Sort of like the difference between driving automatic and stick. (why is stick still around? heh)
There will never be just one computer language because one language can't fulfill the needs of everyone.
(In the end all the languages end up getting translated to a set of instructions the particular CPU understands. And even then different CPUs speak different languages)
2007-03-27 14:14:22 · answer #2 · answered by mackn 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
When computers first were developed, they only understood machine language. Machine language is a series of 0s and 1s, or on and off positions. Much like a series of light switches in a row.
Since all you could do was program in machine language, it was very difficult to figure out what a program did just by looking at it, and even harder to figure out where a mistake was in it.
To help solve this, assembly language was developed. It helped make it easier for computer programmers to figure out what was going on in that computer "brain". You could store values in a register, load values from another, add two values together, etc. Still very basic but at least easier to understand. Yet the average person would have difficulty understanding what the software did.
Universities around the world that were starting to teach people to use computers wanted to be able to make it easier for them to do so. Companies like AT&T sponsored work to develop languages that were easier to understand for people like scientists, statisticians, and accountants.
The result was over several years, new languages started to sprout up. One that was science-oriented was Fortran, making it easier to do complex equations.
Others created report generation languages designed for businesses to easily create and show information in reports. COBOL and RPG are two that were well designed for this purpose.
The previous generation of languages to come out were so very close to human language that you can almost read them out and understand the "story", or what they are supposed to do. Languages like C and Pascal are good examples.
And so we come to today. Languages are so adaptable that you can actually develop new code, design screens, and link software together without having to really understand what each command will do in the background. Most are Windows-based with pretty GUI features and a structure similar to AREA - ITEM - ACTION. If you take a look at Visual Basic code, you can see that with activities like like producing a Windows message box (below):
MsgBox("Are you sure?", vbYesNo, "Exit Menu")
Just like human languages developed differently in different countries, programmers working on computer languages all had different ideas on how things should work. Even two companies developing the same language (eg. Microfocus COBOL vs. AcuCOBOL) each had their own "flavors" or expressions that were not used in the other version.
With Java, XML, and other new languages emerging each day, it will be interesting to see what the next decade holds!
2007-03-27 15:27:15 · answer #3 · answered by SteveN 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
People write computer languages because they feel that there needs to be an easier to use language or they feel that the current languages are unable to do certain things that they want to do.
2007-03-27 14:10:19 · answer #4 · answered by garthedestroyer 1 · 3⤊ 0⤋
It is a complexity versus ease of use problem. Programming languages also evolved. Modern languages are very user friendly and most people can learn it without much experience. It has evolved from Machine Language (extremely hard to write and use) to Ruby (very easy to use).
Other considerations: memory requirements and efficiency of the language.
2007-03-27 14:21:06 · answer #5 · answered by vinoddas81 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
because more than one person or team of people was working on computer languages independently, and they each developed separate languages. There isn't just one human language, either.
2007-03-27 14:09:41 · answer #6 · answered by MOM KNOWS EVERYTHING 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
This question same with why we speak different languages? Anyway, different computer languages have different function and understanding. The method of usinf them are different. Learn few of them, you will understand what is the difference.
2007-03-27 14:34:20 · answer #7 · answered by CeN 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
differnt computer languages can be used to do differnt things like making an online game would use java, or making a web site you could use html or to make an even more user friendly website you could use javascript. it also varies on your skill level and understandings of said computer languages.
2007-03-27 14:30:26 · answer #8 · answered by zoolions 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Why is there not just one spoken language? Why Spanish, Chinese, French, etc.?
2007-03-27 14:50:52 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because computers are just a tool that people use to help them. So they have too be able to work with all types of people.
2007-03-27 14:14:42 · answer #10 · answered by wharrison49 1 · 0⤊ 2⤋