Talk: Assembly language
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Unlike in high-level languages, there is a 1-to-1 mapping from simple assembly to machine language, so that computers can translate in both directions without losing information.
- this is not entirely correct. Much information is lost if the assembled executable does not contain debugging information (most executables don't). Such debugging information includes the names of variables, procedures, labels, et al. Without this information, a disassembler cannot show meaningful symbol names and as a result, disassembly listings use addresses or numbered labels which are not human readable (rendering the program almost useless except by experts with a ton of time on thier hands to figure out what each peice of data is used for). Comments and whitespace are also not stored in the executable, meaning that a disassembler cannot recover this information. It would be more correct to state that there is a logical 1-to-1 relationship. 24.198.144.163
There is some debate over the usefulness of assembly language.
- Debate? over the usefulness? I think this is a bit far fetched, maybe debate over suitability for some fields of application, I think nobody with sufficient experience would debate the usefulness of asm. Maybe people who don't use asm would debate the usefulness, but that's with any tool.
In many cases, modern compilers can render higher-level languages into code as that runs as fast as hand-written assembler.
- Really?? can anyone give a reference for one of these modern compilers please? I've never heard such claims by compiler authors, nor did I encounter such a compiler, I'm very doubtful about the existance of such a compiler, for which programming language? the so called 'high-level' langs of today, don't allow the programmer to express the meaning of the code enough for the compiler to have enough data to make optimisations which the programmer could see. (Nov,2003)
- I think the above quote is an overstatement. A compiler like the GCC with optimisation as high as it will go can probably out-optimise a new ASM programmer. It has been programmed with weird and wonderful shortcuts that the human just wouldn't know about. However, if you pitch a modern compiler against an experienced ASM programmer, the issue would not be optimisation, it would be time. Paul Gideon Dann (Giddie) 30/03/2004 0241 UTC
some low-level programming is simply easier to do in assembler.
- Sometimes some high-level' programming is simply easier to do in assembler, depends what the high-level language you would compare it to at the time would 'hide' from you. for example, writing many numerical abstactions is more direct in ASM, including some work in represantations of groups.
Anyway, the point being that ease is not really dependant on the abstraction level of the code, but rather, on the abstract-idioms or details that the high-level language chose to ignore. (simplest example, C programming language, in-ability to access to carry-flag)
Generations of Programming Languages
So what is a First Generation programming language? and is there a Third Generation? Phil 15:40, Dec 8, 2003 (UTC)
- See First-generation programming language, Third generation language and even Fourth-generation programming language. This naming is probably more a naming gimmick than anything else. Especially the 4th. generation languages. Rasmus Faber 15:45, 8 Dec 2003 (UTC)
- My problem was that Second-generation programming language is a REDIRECT to Assembly language, so there's no cross-reference to the other generations there. Maybe a covering article showing all four generations in overview? Phil 16:43, Dec 8, 2003 (UTC)
- Ah, sorry about that! Good idea. I don't think the generations warrant a page each. Rasmus Faber 16:47, 8 Dec 2003 (UTC)
I frankly don't know whose idea it was to name this article assembly programming language, but although it is in use and parallels the names of other articles like C programming language, I believe the term assembly language is considerably more common and entirely unambiguous. I will move this page and talk page. Derrick Coetzee 22:42, 17 Sep 2004 (UTC)
