Help with JOVIAL Programming: Books & Resources

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the programming language JOVIAL, with participants seeking resources, books, and information about its current usage and historical context. The conversation includes inquiries about its relevance today, its origins, and comparisons to other programming languages.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses difficulty in finding books or resources on JOVIAL and requests assistance.
  • Another participant questions the current relevance of JOVIAL, asking what systems it runs on and which company supports it.
  • Some participants provide historical context, noting that JOVIAL stands for "Jules Own Version of Algol" and discussing its perceived obsolescence since around 1965.
  • There is mention of Jules Schwartz as a significant figure in the development of JOVIAL, with a note that it was a more practical version of ALGOL used by the military.
  • One participant remarks on the continued military use of JOVIAL, suggesting that there may still be resources available within military circles.
  • Another participant raises a parallel inquiry about the military's use of Ada, questioning the availability of manuals or resources from the 1960s.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the current status of JOVIAL or the availability of resources. There are multiple viewpoints regarding its relevance and historical significance, with some expressing skepticism about its continued use.

Contextual Notes

Participants reference the historical context of JOVIAL and its relationship to ALGOL, but there are unresolved questions about its current applications and the availability of up-to-date resources.

MarkWilman
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Hi all, I'm asking for any help on the languauge JOVIAL, I have searched high and low for any books on this language but to now avail. Any help would be greatly accepted, thank you.
 
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MarkWilman said:
Hi all, I'm asking for any help on the languauge JOVIAL, I have searched high and low for any books on this language but to now avail. Any help would be greatly accepted, thank you.

Good Grief ... I didn't know JOVIAL was still around. What does it run on? What company supports it?
 
IIRC it was an acronym for "Jule's Own Version of Algol".

I don't know who Jule was, or why he made his/her own version.

But in any case, it probably went past its sell-by date in about 1965.

Mind you, Algol was way ahead of its time, as a language. Not to mention the old joke about the documentation - to understand exactly what it meant, you had to be able to see the difference between a normal '.' , and a '.' printed in italics...
 
AlephZero said:
IIRC it was an acronym for "Jule's Own Version of Algol".

I don't know who Jule was, or why he made his/her own version.

But in any case, it probably went past its sell-by date in about 1965.

Mind you, Algol was way ahead of its time, as a language. Not to mention the old joke about the documentation - to understand exactly what it meant, you had to be able to see the difference between a normal '.' , and a '.' printed in italics...

It was actually "Jules (Schwartz's) Own Version of the International Algorithmic Language" (yes, ALGOL) and Jules Schwartz was a brilliant programmer but maybe not all that great at marketing. JOVIAL was a somewhat more practical version of ALGOL and was used by the military for a while.
 
It is a very old thought to be buried language, however the military still use it today...so trying to find as much info as possible.
 
Good grief. Does the military still use Ada as well?

Anyway, if they still use it surely somebody in the military can point you to some manuals, or are they using dog-eared hardcopy from the 1960's ?
 

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