Right, Gil, and by that definition JCL and the old .bat language (before it could do Ifs and loops), and QMF, are all "scripting languages" while everything else is a programming language. I know I said I usually count JCL as a programming language, but I also said "only sort of".
I realize that some programming languages are ~called~ scripting languages, and Matt listed a bunch of the differences. (Although I'm inclined to complain that some of his "differences" really are just compiling vs interpreting, and after all we already have words for "compiler" and "interpreter"; we don't need another one.) But I try to avoid using the distinction he's describing; he's accurately explaining how the term is used nowadays, but I don't particularly care for it even though I acknowledge the practice. In case I haven't been clear enough, by the definition I prefer, a scripting language just has a series of instructions, without looping or decisions and with only rudimentary computation. That's why I keep mentioning QMF. JCL blurs the line a bit. --- Bob Bridges, robhbrid...@gmail.com, cell 336 382-7313 /* Winning isn't everything, but then losing is nothing. */ -----Original Message----- From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List <IBM-MAIN@LISTSERV.UA.EDU> On Behalf Of Paul Gilmartin Sent: Monday, November 11, 2024 14:04 What was that original designation? Let me tty. A scripting language can perform useful computation only by invoking an external program. Has anyone ever performed a useful computation in JCL without using an EXEC statement? (Oops. That would be a syntax error. Perhaps I should admit an ineffective IEFBR14 step.) --- On Mon, 11 Nov 2024 13:37:41 -0500, Bob Bridges wrote: >By the way, I know that the meaning of "scripting" has melted quite a bit >since its original designation, but I don't use it (or "macro") about the >so-called scripting languages. ... ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
