Programing Language Sketch: Helps fill in code.

[EdEarl]

Phys.org

 

Since he was a graduate student, Armando Solar-Lezama, an associate professor in MIT's Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, has been working on a programming language called Sketch, which allows programmers to simply omit some of the computational details of their code. Sketch then automatically fills in the gaps.

I hope Armando Solar-Lezama solves this problem, because it could make a big difference in program development times. However, I don't know if a single person can do it. I think the problem might be better done with a DARPA challenge.

 

There are some problems that can be solved by applying standard scientific formulas, such as F=ma and E=mc², However, most programming problems depend on the context of things like tax-laws, industry procedures, and corporate environment. Some are static, like F=ma, but some are fluid and change over time, depending on customer preferences, for example. Thus, code needs to be captured in an information base that can be searched quickly, perhaps with Prolg-like rules.

 

During large development projects, many programmers work on a project, but they are very isolated, because programmers are often not very social people; it is a requirement for working at a terminal for long hours to develop code. Several people developing programs may write and debug the same code segment (i.e., a small bit of code a bit more complex than F=ma, except developed for a particular tax related, industry standard, corporate culture, customer). The first time it is done is useful manpower, but afterward, that code might be used to shorten the time for the next ten people who write the same code.

 

One way it could work is for a programmer to state his inputs and required outputs. In some cases, input data only needs to be rearranged, as during a sort, but in other cases, output data is totally different than input data. In either case, there may be multiple algorithms that can use the same input data and yield the same output data elements, but processed in different ways. Thus, there will be a need for a dialog between the programming system that helps the programmer and the programmer to select an appropriate algorithm.

 

I think computers are now capable of storing and searching through programs fast enough to be useful, but the software needs to be specified and developed.