BEGIN
INT a := 5;
INT b := 10;
PRINT((a + b), new line)
END.webp){kind=logo}
Ask the right questions to secure the right ALGOL 68 talent among an increasingly shrinking pool of talent.
ALGOL 68, short for Algorithmic Language 1968, is a high-level computer programming language developed as a successor to ALGOL 60. It was designed by an international committee and officially published in December 1968, becoming one of the first languages to fully integrate structured programming concepts. ALGOL 68 was known for its rich expression and statement syntax, and its influence on later languages like Pascal and C. However, its complexity and lack of widespread implementation led to its decline in popularity. Today, it remains a significant milestone in the history of programming languages (source: Wexelblat, Richard L., ed. History of Programming Languages. New York: ACM Press, 1981).
The next 20 minutes of the interview should attempt to focus more specifically on the development questions used, and the level of depth and skill the engineer possesses.
A recursive function in ALGOL 68 can be implemented by declaring a function that calls itself. The function must have a base case to prevent infinite recursion.
The 'mode' keyword in ALGOL 68 is used to define a new data type. It is similar to 'typedef' in C.
ALGOL 68 is a much more complex language than ALGOL 60. It introduced many new features like concurrent programming, garbage collection, and a rich expression syntax. ALGOL 60 is simpler and easier to learn, but less powerful.
In ALGOL 68, an array can be declared using the '[]' brackets. For example, 'INT array[5]' declares an array of integers with 5 elements.
ALGOL 68 is known for its rich expression syntax, strong typing, block structure, nested functions, concurrent programming, and garbage collection.
The ability to learn and adapt is crucial in the ever-evolving field of software development.
Understanding software development principles and methodologies is important for developing high-quality software and working effectively in a team.
Debugging and optimization skills are important for maintaining and improving the performance of the code.
The ability to design and implement complex algorithms is a key skill for any developer, and shows that the candidate can solve complex problems.
Past experience with ALGOL 68 in a work environment indicates that the candidate is capable of applying their skills in real-world scenarios.
A deep understanding of ALGOL 68's syntax and semantics is crucial for a developer to write efficient and error-free code.
The next 20 minutes of the interview should attempt to focus more specifically on the development questions used, and the level of depth and skill the engineer possesses.
ALGOL 68 provides the 'PAR' keyword to implement concurrent programming. The 'PAR' keyword can be used to specify that a block of code should be executed in parallel with the rest of the program.
The 'co' keyword in ALGOL 68 is used to introduce a coroutine. Coroutines are a generalization of subroutines that can be entered, exited, and reentered at multiple locations.
'INT' is used to declare integer variables, while 'REAL' is used to declare floating-point variables. They are both primitive data types in ALGOL 68.
ALGOL 68 provides a 'catch' statement to handle exceptions. The 'catch' statement can be used to catch and handle any exceptions that occur within its scope.
ALGOL 68 provides several control structures including 'if-then-else', 'case', 'while', 'for', and 'do'.
At this stage, a skilled ALGOL 68 engineer should exhibit strong problem-solving skills, deep understanding of ALGOL 68 syntax and structures, and ability to debug and optimize code. Red flags include having difficulty explaining complex concepts, showing limited hands-on experience, or lacking detail-oriented focus.
BEGIN
INT a := 5;
INT b := 10;
PRINT((a + b), new line)
ENDBEGIN
REAL x := 3.14;
REAL y := 2.71;
PRINT((x * y), new line)
ENDBEGIN
[1:5]INT array := (1, 2, 3, 4, 5);
FOR i FROM LWB array TO UPB array DO
PRINT((array[i]), new line)
OD
ENDBEGIN
SEMA s := INIT SEMA(1);
CO BEGIN
DOWN(s);
PRINT(('Thread 1'), new line);
UP(s);
CO
CO BEGIN
DOWN(s);
PRINT(('Thread 2'), new line);
UP(s);
CO
ENDBEGIN
MODE PERSON = STRUCT(STRING name, INT age);
PERSON p := ('John', 30);
PRINT((p.name, p.age), new line)
ENDBEGIN
PROC factorial = (INT n)INT:
IF n = 0 THEN 1 ELSE n * factorial(n - 1) FI;
PRINT((factorial(5)), new line)
ENDThe final few interview questions for a ALGOL 68 candidate should typically focus on a combination of technical skills, personal goals, growth potential, team dynamics, and company culture.
ALGOL 68 provides built-in support for garbage collection, so the programmer does not need to implement a garbage collector manually. However, if needed, a custom garbage collector can be implemented using low-level memory management functions.
The 'PRIO' keyword in ALGOL 68 is used to define the precedence of operators. It allows the programmer to define new operators with a specific precedence.
'PROC' is used to declare a procedure, while 'OP' is used to declare an operator. Operators in ALGOL 68 are essentially functions that can be called using infix notation.
Dynamic data structures in ALGOL 68 can be implemented using pointers. The 'REF' keyword is used to declare a pointer, and the 'NEW' keyword is used to allocate memory.
ALGOL 68 provides a wide range of operators including arithmetic operators, comparison operators, logical operators, and bitwise operators.
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