There is a seductive fascination in software. There is a pride of accomplishment in getting a program to run on a digital computer, a feeling ol
the mastery of man over machine. And there is a wealth of human pleasure
in such mental exercises as the manipulation of symbols, the invention of
new languages for new fields of problem solving, the derivation of new
algorithms and techniques, the allocation of memory between core and disk
—mental exercises that bear a strong resemblance to such popular pastimes
as fitting together the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, filling out a crossword puzzle,
or solving a mathematical brainteaser of widely familiar variety. And what is
more, digital computer programming is an individual skill, and one which
is relatively easy to learn; according to Fred Gruenberger, "the student of
computing can be brought to the boundaries of the art very quickly.... It
is becoming commonplace for to-day's students to write new compilers . . .
the beginning student of computing can be involved with real problems very
early in his course." [Commun. ACM 8, No. 6, 348 (1965).] All these factors
help to account for the currently widespread popularity of programming.