u had a bendix running or still running? On Sat, Feb 15, 2025 at 2:09 PM Jon Elson via cctalk <cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote:
> On 2/15/25 12:27, Frank Leonhardt via cctalk wrote: > > On 15/02/2025 16:35, Jon Elson via cctalk wrote: > >> On 2/15/25 08:43, Frank Leonhardt via cctalk wrote: > >>> As those of us with a few years will know, Tony Hoare > >>> (and Jill's) implementation of Algol 60 on the Elliott > >>> 803 was a highly significant event in the history of > >>> computer languages. It was the first practical > >>> commercial Algol compiler, launched block structures > >>> languages, and played a part in Elliott selling nearly > >>> 300 803B computers at a time when 300 computers was a > >>> big number. > >>> > >>> Obviously the US preferred Fortran and COBOL for > >>> commercial use, and there were other Algol compilers in > >>> some shape or other knocking about in universities. But > >>> I'd say this implementation put block structured > >>> programming into the mainstream. (And it was the first > >>> high level language I used, but that's beside the point). > >>> > >> The Bendix G15 (introduced in 1956) had ALGO, their > >> variant of Algol. Not sure when this was available, but > >> likely after 1958 or so. I think it was the only high > >> level language available on that computer. > >> > > Running anything like Algol on a machine with drum memory > > seems a bit optimistic! > > Compiles were supposed to take about 2 DAYS! With constant > changing of compiler phase tapes. We never got our G15 > close to running enough to try it. It had two badly scored > drum tracks. > > Jon >
