Computer Languages History

Computer Languages History” is in excellent website devoted to…well…history of computer programming languages. Currently, it lists about 50 programming languages with links to language websites.

There is also an excellent timeline, which shows the relationships between different programming languages starting with Fortran in November 1954 and ending with PHP of May 1st, 2004.

Obviously, it is an ongoing project, so updates should follow with new versions released.

Progress of the progress

Olga on the beachIt is surprising how rarely people take a minute to think about the technological progress of recent years. The more technology there is around us, the less we think about it. All sorts of technological wonders are so deeply integrated into our lives that I bet it will be difficult to think even about one day and try to remember and appreciate all the comfort that we have these days.

Here is my attempt. I woke up roughly about 10am on the bed and with air conditioning on. Switched AC off with the remote control. Olga was already up, drinking tea and watching television. Teethbrushing, soapwashing and other morning procedures. Used cooker to warm up some food from the fridge. Had a couple of phone calls with people on the move. Jumped into a car and went to a beach some 20 kilometers away just for a quick swim. While on the sunbathing on the beach, made a picture of Olga, connected to the Internet from my mobile via GPRS and uploaded it to my home server…

I feel that I am missing a lot and it gets pretty boring. There was nothing special technology-wise today. And I cannot even remember all of it. :)

Looking at this from a longer time span things get more obvious. When my grandfather was a kid he didn’t know what a radio was. My father didn’t have a television set while he was growing up. I didn’t have a phone until I was about 18. Today’s kids will have problems imagining a life without a computer with Internet connection and a small mobile with a battery that can work for a week or so.

Lovely. And there is no sign of things slowing down. :)

Taxi Driver

Having nothing better to do, watched “Taxi Driver” on DVD. This film is considered a classic by now and it is surprising how I managed to not see it until now.

With all the hype around it and all the excellent ratings at IMDB, I didn’t like it. Probably it was something very strong and needed in 1976, but it does stand very well where I am now. It’s too slow and boring. There are not enough thoughts and feeling to make philosophical drama. There is not enough actions to make it an action. There are not enough jokes to make it a comedy.

But it was nice to see young Robert De Niro, Cybill Shepherd, and Harvey Keitel.