Yes! High level languages should be used to write systems software (1975)

ABSTRACT

It has frequently been remarked that it is easier recognize “high level” languages than to define the concept. For the purposes of this debate, however, I think that we agree that a language is high level to the extent that it discourages (forbids) the specification of machine details (register numbers, absolute addresses, op codes, word-packing, etc.) as a routine part of program composition and low level to the extent that it encourages (requires) such specification. (Note that, by this definition, assembly languages occupy a position intermediate between machine languages and compiled languages.) Thus, I take the point at issue to be: “To what extent is it desirable for the system programmer to specify machine details?”

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