This paper proposes axioms to define a sequence of language-classes; the most general is that of "programming language", the most restricted has some simple and attractive properties. Here "language" is used in its traditional sense as referring to a set of interpreted expressions. We are concerned with the syntax of an expression only to the degree needed to relate its structure to its "meaning". A clear distinction is drawn between a "language" and the many possible "realizations" of that language.This introduction comprises a survey and opinionated discussion of the contents of the paper, therefore the reader who wishes to get on with the technical exposition can skip to the next section.

The fundamental concepts of FORTRAN, the most widely used high-level, scientific programming language, are set forth and the significant characteristics are described in historical order from inception of FORTRAN in 1954 to the present time. The basic problem of how to get high quality programming from an-easy- to-write high-level language is emphasized.

The report gives a complete defining description of the international algorithmic language ALGOL 60. This is a language suitable for expressing a large class of numerical processes in a form sufficiently concise for direct automatic translation into the language of programmed automatic computers. The introduction contains an account of the preparatory work leading up to the final conference, where the language was defined. In addition the notions reference language, publication language, and hardware representations are explained. In the first chapter a survey of the basic constituents and features of the language is given, and the formal notation, by which the syntactic structure is defined, is explained. The second chapter lists all the basic symbols, and the syntactic units know as identifiers, numbers, and strings are defined. Further, some important notions such as quantity and value are defined. The third chapter explains the rules for forming expressions, and the means of these expressions. Three different types of expressions exist: arithmetic, Boolean (logical), and designational. The fourth chapter describes the operational units of the language, known and statements. The basic statements are: assignment statements (evaluation of a formula), go to statements (explicit break of the sequence of execution of statements), dummy statements, and procedure statements (call for execution of a closed process, defined by a procedure declaration). The formation of more complex structures, having statement character, is explained. Thes include: conditional statements, for statements, compound statements, and blocks. In the fifth chapter the units known as declarations, serving for defining permanent properties of the units entering into a process described in the language, are defined. The report ends with two detailed examples of the use of the language, and an alphabetic index of definitions.

article Free AccessThe IBM 701 Speedcoding System Author: J. W. Backus International Business Machines Corp., New York, N.Y. International Business Machines Corp., New York, N.Y.View Profile Authors Info & Claims Journal of the ACMVolume 1Issue 1Jan. 1954 pp 4–6https://doi.org/10.1145/320764.320766Published:01 January 1954Publication History 28citation1,920DownloadsMetricsTotal Citations28Total Downloads1,920Last 12 Months170Last 6 weeks18 Get Citation AlertsNew Citation Alert added!This alert has been successfully added and will be sent to:You will be notified whenever a record that you have chosen has been cited.To manage your alert preferences, click on the button below.Manage my AlertsNew Citation Alert!Please log in to your account Save to BinderSave to BinderCreate a New BinderNameCancelCreateExport CitationPublisher SiteeReaderPDF