TELCOMP
Encyclopedia
TELCOMP was a programming language developed at Bolt, Beranek and Newman (BBN) in about 1965 and in use until at least 1974.
It was an interactive, conversational language based on JOSS
, developed by BBN after Cliff Shaw from RAND
visited the labs in 1964 as part of the NIH survey. It was first implemented on the PDP-1
and was used to provide a commercial time sharing service by BBN in the Boston area and later by Time Sharing Ltd. in the United Kingdom.
In 1996, Leo Beranek said "We even developed a programming language called TELCOMP that to this day, some say was better than the programming language that the industry adopted, namely BASIC."
There were at least three versions: TELCOMP I, TELCOMP II, and TELCOMP III.
TELCOMP II was implemented on the PDP-7
and TELCOMP III on the PDP-10
, running on DEC
's TOPS-10
operating system or on BBN's own TENEX
operating system.
TELCOMP programs were normally input via a paper tape reader on a Teletype
Model 33 ASR which would be connected to a PDP via a modem and acoustic telephone line. Data could be read from the paper tape reader or from the Teletype keyboard. Output was either printed to the Teletype or sent to the paper tape punch. Early versions had no facility for on-line storage of programs or data.
During data input using a Teletype, the user would type a response to a printed prompt. If, instead of hitting Return, the user hit Tab, another, possibly computed, prompt would be printed on the same line. This process could be repeated for the full width of the line. This unusual feature allowed very compact data entry, comparable to full-screen CRT data entry. It saved paper, and the input section of the form became part of the program's printed output.
A later derivative of TELCOMP called STRINGCOMP
was oriented towards string handling. Another BBN JOSS-derivative called FILECOMP
was developed for the GE MEDINET system, which was cancelled. The implicit file handling system it contained was influential on the MUMPS
global database system.
The initial research for LOGO
was carried out in TELCOMP, but only the JOSS
-style errors and interaction made it through to the actual language.
DEMAND Read input from the teletype
DO PART Execute all of the steps in a numbered part
DO STEP Execute a single line
DONE Stop execution of current part and return to caller
IF Condition, suffixed to any instruction
FOR Loop, suffixed to any instruction
PLOT Type output to the teletype in the form of a graph
PRINT Print output to the teletype
READ Read input from the paper tape reader
SEND Send output to the paper tape punch
SET Assign a variable to the value of an expression
STOP Stop execution completely
TO PART Go to a specified part
TO STEP Go to a specified line
TYPE Emulate teletype input while in stored operation mode (like the TCL/TK Expect functionality)
; Comment, suffixed to any line
FORM A specification for formatted output (not really a command)
1.05 TYPE FORM X FOR X=1:1:4 FOR END=10^15
1.06 READ GRNO IN FORM 15
1.065 DONE IF GRNO=END
1.07 TO STEP 1.06 IF GRNO>4
1.08 TO PART GRNO+1
2.01 DO PART 50
2.02 READ N,K
2.03 DO PART 51
2.04 TO PART 15
..
15.01 LINE FOR X=1:1:3
15.02 TYPE MINPL,MAXPL IN FORM 17
15.03 TYPE FORM 17
15.04 DO PART GRNO+15 FOR X=MNPL:STPL:MXPL
16.01 Y=(X^N)+K
16.02 Y1[X]=(((Y-MNPL)/(MXPL-MNPL))*2)-1
..
FORM 15
ITEM NUMBER? #####
FORM 17
MINIMUM ##### MAXIMUM ######
It was an interactive, conversational language based on JOSS
JOSS
JOSS was one of the very first interactive, time sharing programming languages.JOSS I, developed by J. Clifford Shaw at RAND was first implemented, in beta form, on the JOHNNIAC computer in May 1963...
, developed by BBN after Cliff Shaw from RAND
RAND
RAND Corporation is a nonprofit global policy think tank first formed to offer research and analysis to the United States armed forces by Douglas Aircraft Company. It is currently financed by the U.S. government and private endowment, corporations including the healthcare industry, universities...
visited the labs in 1964 as part of the NIH survey. It was first implemented on the PDP-1
PDP-1
The PDP-1 was the first computer in Digital Equipment Corporation's PDP series and was first produced in 1960. It is famous for being the computer most important in the creation of hacker culture at MIT, BBN and elsewhere...
and was used to provide a commercial time sharing service by BBN in the Boston area and later by Time Sharing Ltd. in the United Kingdom.
In 1996, Leo Beranek said "We even developed a programming language called TELCOMP that to this day, some say was better than the programming language that the industry adopted, namely BASIC."
There were at least three versions: TELCOMP I, TELCOMP II, and TELCOMP III.
TELCOMP II was implemented on the PDP-7
PDP-7
The DEC PDP-7 is a minicomputer produced by Digital Equipment Corporation. Introduced in 1965, it was the first to use their Flip-Chip technology. With a cost of only $72,000 USD, it was cheap but powerful by the standards of the time. The PDP-7 was the third of Digital's 18-bit machines, with...
and TELCOMP III on the PDP-10
PDP-10
The PDP-10 was a mainframe computer family manufactured by Digital Equipment Corporation from the late 1960s on; the name stands for "Programmed Data Processor model 10". The first model was delivered in 1966...
, running on DEC
's TOPS-10
TOPS-10
The TOPS-10 System was a computer operating system from Digital Equipment Corporation for the PDP-10 mainframe computer launched in 1967...
operating system or on BBN's own TENEX
TOPS-20
The TOPS-20 operating system by Digital Equipment Corporation was the second proprietary OS for the PDP-10 mainframe computer. TOPS-20 began in 1969 as the TENEX operating system of Bolt, Beranek and Newman...
operating system.
TELCOMP programs were normally input via a paper tape reader on a Teletype
Teletype Corporation
The Teletype Corporation, a part of American Telephone and Telegraph Company's Western Electric manufacturing arm since 1930, came into being in 1928 when the Morkrum-Kleinschmidt Company changed its name to the name of its trademark equipment...
Model 33 ASR which would be connected to a PDP via a modem and acoustic telephone line. Data could be read from the paper tape reader or from the Teletype keyboard. Output was either printed to the Teletype or sent to the paper tape punch. Early versions had no facility for on-line storage of programs or data.
During data input using a Teletype, the user would type a response to a printed prompt. If, instead of hitting Return, the user hit Tab, another, possibly computed, prompt would be printed on the same line. This process could be repeated for the full width of the line. This unusual feature allowed very compact data entry, comparable to full-screen CRT data entry. It saved paper, and the input section of the form became part of the program's printed output.
A later derivative of TELCOMP called STRINGCOMP
STRINGCOMP
STRINGCOMP was a programming language developed at Bolt, Beranek and Newman .It was one of the three variants of JOSS II that were developed by BBN. It had extended string handling capabilities to augment JOSS's mathematical focus. It was a strong influence in the development of the programming...
was oriented towards string handling. Another BBN JOSS-derivative called FILECOMP
FILECOMP
- BBN FILECOMP :FILECOMP was a programming language developed at Bolt, Beranek and Newman . It was one of the three variants of JOSS II that were developed by BBN....
was developed for the GE MEDINET system, which was cancelled. The implicit file handling system it contained was influential on the MUMPS
MUMPS
MUMPS , or alternatively M, is a programming language created in the late 1960s, originally for use in the healthcare industry. It was designed for the production of multi-user database-driven applications...
global database system.
The initial research for LOGO
Logo
A logo is a graphic mark or emblem commonly used by commercial enterprises, organizations and even individuals to aid and promote instant public recognition...
was carried out in TELCOMP, but only the JOSS
JOSS
JOSS was one of the very first interactive, time sharing programming languages.JOSS I, developed by J. Clifford Shaw at RAND was first implemented, in beta form, on the JOHNNIAC computer in May 1963...
-style errors and interaction made it through to the actual language.
Commands
A TELCOMP program was made up of numbered lines, each line referred to as a Step. Steps were grouped into Parts. Each line contained one instruction.DEMAND Read input from the teletype
DO PART Execute all of the steps in a numbered part
DO STEP Execute a single line
DONE Stop execution of current part and return to caller
IF Condition, suffixed to any instruction
FOR Loop, suffixed to any instruction
PLOT Type output to the teletype in the form of a graph
PRINT Print output to the teletype
READ Read input from the paper tape reader
SEND Send output to the paper tape punch
SET Assign a variable to the value of an expression
STOP Stop execution completely
TO PART Go to a specified part
TO STEP Go to a specified line
TYPE Emulate teletype input while in stored operation mode (like the TCL/TK Expect functionality)
; Comment, suffixed to any line
FORM A specification for formatted output (not really a command)
Sample Program
1.04 TYPE #,"ENTER ONE OF THE FOLLOWING:-";MENU1.05 TYPE FORM X FOR X=1:1:4 FOR END=10^15
1.06 READ GRNO IN FORM 15
1.065 DONE IF GRNO=END
1.07 TO STEP 1.06 IF GRNO>4
1.08 TO PART GRNO+1
2.01 DO PART 50
2.02 READ N,K
2.03 DO PART 51
2.04 TO PART 15
..
15.01 LINE FOR X=1:1:3
15.02 TYPE MINPL,MAXPL IN FORM 17
15.03 TYPE FORM 17
15.04 DO PART GRNO+15 FOR X=MNPL:STPL:MXPL
16.01 Y=(X^N)+K
16.02 Y1[X]=(((Y-MNPL)/(MXPL-MNPL))*2)-1
..
FORM 15
ITEM NUMBER? #####
FORM 17
MINIMUM ##### MAXIMUM ######