How BCPL Evolved from CPL

摘要

This paper describes how the programming language BCPL developed from the work on the design and implementation of Combined Programming Language (CPL). It shows that BCPL is essentially just CPL with all the difficult bits removed and with just a few extensions. The CPL project lasted from early 1962 to December 1966 and the first outline of BCPL appeared in 1966. Its first compiler was implemented at MIT in early 1967 and, surprisingly, the language is still used commercially and by individuals all over the world.