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Language

Early Programming Languages

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In some ways, these punch cards were a means of communication, a means of representing an idea to somebody. Punching a hole at a certain location doesn't mean anything by itself, just like the collection of sounds and symbols that we use in English doesn't mean anything by itself. Through the collective way that we arrange these symbols, we give them meaning and definitions.

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This eventually evolved into some more electronic means of doing the same things. Rather than punching holes, we flipped switches. Imagine debugging your Project #2 code on this.

Altair 8800

This is the Altair 8800, one of the first "home computers" in 1975. To demonstrate the effects of Moore's Law: It cost $439—about $3000 today. Imagine paying $3000 for this hunk of metal...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suyiMfzmZKs

Somebody should email College Board and see if you can program on the Altair 8800 for your AP test.

Software

Programming on hardware like this is... well.. hard. People wanted to design a softer medium in which we could program on, hence the term, software.

COBOL

COmmon Business Oriented Language—one of the oldest made (1958?). Kind of sadly, this is still used in a bunch of places.

https://thenewstack.io/cobol-everywhere-will-maintain/