What makes "FOCAL" FOCAL?

[Valentin Albillo]

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Hi, Andrés:

(04-13-2020 09:50 PM)Andres Wrote:  Those features were

> Expandability (hardware) There were many peripherals, modules, an expansion bus (albeit a proprietary one) and HP-IL as a more generic interface (quite proprietary indeed...).

That has nothing to do with the programming language. The fact that it has more keywords available to handle peripherals or available in modules doesn't change a thing about the underlying language.

The SHARP PC-1211, the very first so-called handheld computer had a BASIC language featuring just a few dozen keywords, unexpandable, while the HP-71B had a BASIC featuring some 240+ keywords with many hundreds more available as LEX files or plug-in modules, including keywords for controlling peripherals.

It was still BASIC. No one suggested or considered renaming it to something else because of the many hundreds of new keywords or peripheral control.

Quote:> User-definable keyboard, by means of key assignments (and overlays!).

Again, this has nothing to do with the programming language. Seems to me you're confusing "programming language" with "operating system" or even "user interface".

Quote:> RPN logic.

Ditto.

Quote:> Extendability (software) via modules, extended functions, and the fact that user programs (and ROM module based programs) can be invoked with the same format as built-in functions. Programs may be imported from external devices, also...

Already addressed above.

Quote:> Keystroke programmability, as opposed to BASIC text programming used by some Sharp handheld computers and equivalent machines at the time. We press SIN - (one key) instead of typing S I N ( ) - (five keys).

First of all, keystroke programmability where "we press [SIN] - (one key)" was already available in the HP-25, HP-55 and HP-67 and no one ever considered necessary to gave their "programming languages" a name. It was just keystroke programming and that was that. Perhaps you do consider necessary to also name their versions ?

Second, you don't type "S I N ( ) - (five keys)" in most BASIC pocket computers. Even the very first one, the already mentioned 40-year-old SHARP PC-1211, did allow assigning that sequence to a key so you could press the key to get the "SIN(" in the display, ready to key in your number. Further, you could also assign much longer keystroke sequences (up to 80 characters) to a single key, which you couldn't do with the HP-41C so I don't get where's the alleged advantage.

Needless to say you can also do the same with the HP-71B and matter of fact you can get a SIN( in the display without having to assign anything, it's already available as a shifted typing aid.

Seems to me you haven't used any BASIC pocket computer much, if at all, or you would know that.

Quote:> Alphanumeric capabilities.

This has nothing to do with language, as already mentioned. Having a program step displayed as 14 34 or as SIN doesn't change the "language" an iota. Same with outputting 23.24 vs. COST=23.14, or GTO 23 vs. GOTO "POLYRF".

Again, seems to me you're confusing the characteristics that do define a language with something else.

Regards and take care.
V.