[plug] Community Seminars

Sat Jun 19 14:21:55 WST 2004

On 19 Jun 2004 at 12:11, Cameron Patrick wrote:

> Bernd Felsche wrote:
> | HTML is *never* a programme.
> 
HTML as its name implies is a markup language - which consists of pair matched tags which have a 
predefined meaning and purpose - these pairs  of tags form containers and are interpreted by a 
"browser" which processes and formats any data/text which exists between the tags according to the 
predefined purpose of the tags - the tags themselves are defined in a document type definition file 
- which is usually referenced on the very first line of the HTML document - 

e.g. <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" >

> Even with embedded Javascript?

Javascript is only embedded in a HTML page as means of transportation - once the page is processed 
by the browser the javascript is interpereted by the browser - according to its designated purpose 
and functionality.

> | A program is something that the system executes "directly"; data
> | are what programs use.

A program is a series of instructions which are understood (carried out) by a computer, regardless 
of whether it is compiled or interpretted.

A compiled program is checked for syntax errors and logic errors at "compile" time - when the 
program compiles succesfully a separate executable binary file is the final output - this binary 
file can then be run on any compatible software/hardware platform - provided that any related 
libraries and/or referenced resources are available. This binary will run without further syntax 
and or error checking.

An interpretted program is checked for syntax errors and logic errors EVERY time it is run  
regardless of its software/hardware platform or its final output.

An application is a program or a set of programs with a logical sequence of instructions which are 
designed to carry out a particular function, purpose or objective - (task)

All scripting language produce code which is interpretted at "RUN" time. Some scripting languages 
can be used to produce a binary runtime file - but it is still interpretted at "run-time" and any 
related libraries or referenced resources need to be available in the local environment.

Most compiled langauges produce an independent binary file which can usually be run without direct 
access to libraries and referenced resources. 

> So in other words, if something is interpreted, then it's data; if
> it's compiled it's a programme?  That sounds like an over-simplification 
> to me :-/  It seems to imply that, say, a Python script is data if it's

Data - is generally regarded as unprocessed information - ie raw facts with no particular meaning, 
emphasis or context. When data is processed it can take on a wide range of meaning, emphasis or 
context subject to the type of processing and the designated use for the final output - usually 
referred to as information.

Data --> Information --> Knowledge --> Wisdom ..............

HTH