The Monk’s Writing Desk

Creating programs is a very interesting and complex process. However, the means of writing these programs seem very familiar. In order to write any program, the author of that program must know the language of that program in order for it to have any significance. Also, writing the program itself can be a relatively long and arduous process. This practice is fairly reminiscent to the activities of the monks of the 10th to 11th centuries. At this time the monks had to be literate, not only in the vernacular, but in Latin as well. However, it also helped if the monk was fluent in other languages, in order to translate foreign works. Then these monks created copies of these works by hand. Just like the creation of new programs from scratch, the monks work could be considered long and arduous.

From Handwritten to Printed

If programming is the modern form of the monks work, then what are the equivalents of programs like Scratch? I would have to say movable type. Scratch has in its system a set of minor programs that do not usually do things on their own. However, when combined together they created a larger more meaningful program. Also, just like movable type, these programs can be mixed and matched to form more relevant sequences. In my opinion, such a system could potentially be filled with a few flaws, for example, if one of the minor programs is itself of balance it could ruin the entire larger program. However, I see a great deal of potential in this new movable type.

~ by graham19 on November 25, 2012 .