Non Procedural Language/Packages (4GL):

Definition and Explanation:

Non procedural languages do not involve writing a detail procedure. In non procedural languages, we simply specify what is required and leave it to the database system to analyze the request and generate the result which is equivalent to generate a retrieval program. the 4GLs are essentially shorthanded programming languages. An operation that requires hundred of lines in third generation language such as COBOL, FORTRAN, typically requires only five or ten lines in 4DL. Most relational database manipulation languages are non procedural. Very sophisticated database control systems are necessary for this to be possible. The chief advantage is ease of use for non professionals.

• 4GL make a true break with prior generations.
• 4GL improve productivity, experts says improvement factors is about 10 i.e. you can be ten times more productive than in a third generation language.
• They are result oriented; they emphasize what instead of how.
• They can be used with minimum of training by both programmers and non programmers.
• They defend users from needing an awareness of hardware and program structure.
• Programs are easy to write and change.

• 4GL are still evolving and are not standardized. One of the main criticisms is that the new languages are lack of necessary control and flexibility.
• 4GL do not make efficient use of machine resources.

Office Language
Blame Storming	Sitting around a group, discussed why a deadline was missed or a project failed and who was responsible.
Seagull Manager	A manager, who flies in, makes a lot of noise craps, all over everything and then leaves.
Flight Risk	Used to described employees who are suspected of planning to leave the company or department soon.
OHNO	That tiny friction of time which realize that you have made a BIG mistakes. Like making the selection that reformats your hard drive.
Analog	Appetizer usually made from cheese and covered with crushed nuts.
Backup	Opposite of go forward.
Batch	Making a lot of cookies at once.
Processing	Processing to ability to have friends of both sexes.
Bit	12-1/2 cents
Branch	If watered, it will grow into a computer club.
Bug	1. Programmers term for a feature. 2. An elusive creature living in a program which makes it incorrect.
Note	The activity of debugging or removing from a program ends when a programmer gets tired of doing it, not when all the bugs are removed.
Character Density	The number of people in the office, divided by the floor space.
Computer	A device designed to speed and automate errors.
Computer Club	Used to strike computer forcefully upon receiving error massages.
Coding	An addictive drug.
Compile	A heap of decomposing vegetable matter.
Console	What one does one to a "down" computer?
Cursor	An expert in 4 words.
Dump	A system programmer's work area.
Feature	Hardware limitation as described by a marketing representative.
Hardware	The parts of a computer which can be kicked.
Keyboard	An instrument used for entering error messages.
Language	A system of organizing and defined error messages.
Loop	See loop
Machine Independent Program	A program which will not run on any machine.
Microcomputer	One millionth of a computer.
Null String	The result of a 4 hour databases search.
Online	The idea that a human should always be accessible
Password	The nonsense word typed to your terminal.

 

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