Step 3: Why do we (still) need programming languages?
Thanks to machine learning, we no longer need programming languages to tell computers what to do: for many applications it’s possible to talk to a computer and have it interpret one’s natural language. So why do we still need programming languages?
- Understanding natural language still requires a lot of processing power. Typically today we do it by using online services that run in data centres full of powerful computers.
- Natural language is ambiguous. For programs that we want to rely on to run without human supervision, programming languages are more reliable.
- Programming is fun. Just like other formal systems, whether the wide world of mathematics or the microcosm of chess, programming is fun as an intellectual exercise. But it can have real-world effects: you can program machines that do things in the world. Instructing machines to do things is a rewarding and powerful way to relate to the human world.