Speakeasy (computational environment)
Encyclopedia
Speakeasy is a numerical computing
interactive environment also featuring an interpreted programming language
. It was initially developed for internal use at the Physics Division of Argonne National Laboratory
by the theoretical physicist Stanley Cohen. He eventually founded Speakeasy Computing Corporation to make the program available commercially.
Speakeasy is a very long-lasting numerical package. In fact, the original version of the environment was built around a core dynamic repository of the data called "Named storage" developed in the 1964, while the most recent version has been released in 2006.
Speakeasy was aimed to make the computational work of the physicists at the Argonne National Laboratory easier. It was initially conceived to work on mainframes (the only kind of computers at that time), and was subsequently ported to new platforms (minicomputers, personal computers) as they became available. The porting of the same code on different platforms was made easier by using Mortran
metalanguage macros to face systems dependencies and compilers deficiencies and differences.
Speakeasy is currently available on several platforms : PCs running Windows, Mac OS
, Linux
, departmental computers and workstations running several flavors of Linux, AIX or Solaris.
Speakeasy was also among the first interactive numerical computing environments, having been implemented in such a way on a CDC 3600 system, and later on on IBM TSO
machines as one was in beta-testing at the Argonne National Laboratory at the time.
Almost since the beginning (as the dynamic linking functionality was made available in the operating systems) Speakeasy features the capability of expanding its operational vocabulary using separated modules, dynamically linked to the core processor as they are needed. For that reason such modules were called "linkules" (LINKable-modULES) . They are functions with a generalized interface, written in FORTRAN
or in C
.
The independence of each of the new modules from the others and from the main processor is of great help in improving the system, especially it was in the old days.
This easy way of expanding the functionalities of the main processor was often exploited by the users to develop their own specialized packages. Besides the programs, functions and subroutines the user can write in the Speakeasy's own interpreted language, linkules add functionalities carried out with the typical performances of compiled programs.
Among the packages developed by the users, one of the most important is "Modelasy", originally developed as "FEDeasy" in the early 1970s at the research department of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors in Washington D.C..
Modeleasy implements special objects and functions for large econometric models estimation and simulation.
Its evolution led eventually to its distribution as an independent product.
Speakeasy has several predefined kind of objects, which can often be operated on using the same algebraic syntax.
From this point of view, and considering the dynamic and structured nature of the data held in the "named storage", it is possible to say that Speakeasy since the beginning implemented a form of operator overloading, and a pragmatic approach to what was later called "Object Oriented Programming".
Numerical analysis
Numerical analysis is the study of algorithms that use numerical approximation for the problems of mathematical analysis ....
interactive environment also featuring an interpreted programming language
Programming language
A programming language is an artificial language designed to communicate instructions to a machine, particularly a computer. Programming languages can be used to create programs that control the behavior of a machine and/or to express algorithms precisely....
. It was initially developed for internal use at the Physics Division of Argonne National Laboratory
Argonne National Laboratory
Argonne National Laboratory is the first science and engineering research national laboratory in the United States, receiving this designation on July 1, 1946. It is the largest national laboratory by size and scope in the Midwest...
by the theoretical physicist Stanley Cohen. He eventually founded Speakeasy Computing Corporation to make the program available commercially.
Speakeasy is a very long-lasting numerical package. In fact, the original version of the environment was built around a core dynamic repository of the data called "Named storage" developed in the 1964, while the most recent version has been released in 2006.
Speakeasy was aimed to make the computational work of the physicists at the Argonne National Laboratory easier. It was initially conceived to work on mainframes (the only kind of computers at that time), and was subsequently ported to new platforms (minicomputers, personal computers) as they became available. The porting of the same code on different platforms was made easier by using Mortran
Mortran
Mortran is an extension of the Fortran programming language used for scientific computation. It introduces syntax changes, including the use of semicolons to end statements, in order to improve readability and flexibility...
metalanguage macros to face systems dependencies and compilers deficiencies and differences.
Speakeasy is currently available on several platforms : PCs running Windows, Mac OS
Mac OS
Mac OS is a series of graphical user interface-based operating systems developed by Apple Inc. for their Macintosh line of computer systems. The Macintosh user experience is credited with popularizing the graphical user interface...
, Linux
Linux
Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...
, departmental computers and workstations running several flavors of Linux, AIX or Solaris.
Speakeasy was also among the first interactive numerical computing environments, having been implemented in such a way on a CDC 3600 system, and later on on IBM TSO
Time Sharing Option
In computing, Time Sharing Option is an interactive time-sharing environment for IBM mainframe operating systems, including OS/360 MVT, OS/VS2 , MVS, OS/390, and z/OS.- Overview :TSO fulfills a similar purpose to Unix login sessions...
machines as one was in beta-testing at the Argonne National Laboratory at the time.
Almost since the beginning (as the dynamic linking functionality was made available in the operating systems) Speakeasy features the capability of expanding its operational vocabulary using separated modules, dynamically linked to the core processor as they are needed. For that reason such modules were called "linkules" (LINKable-modULES) . They are functions with a generalized interface, written in FORTRAN
Fortran
Fortran is a general-purpose, procedural, imperative programming language that is especially suited to numeric computation and scientific computing...
or in C
C (programming language)
C is a general-purpose computer programming language developed between 1969 and 1973 by Dennis Ritchie at the Bell Telephone Laboratories for use with the Unix operating system....
.
The independence of each of the new modules from the others and from the main processor is of great help in improving the system, especially it was in the old days.
This easy way of expanding the functionalities of the main processor was often exploited by the users to develop their own specialized packages. Besides the programs, functions and subroutines the user can write in the Speakeasy's own interpreted language, linkules add functionalities carried out with the typical performances of compiled programs.
Among the packages developed by the users, one of the most important is "Modelasy", originally developed as "FEDeasy" in the early 1970s at the research department of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors in Washington D.C..
Modeleasy implements special objects and functions for large econometric models estimation and simulation.
Its evolution led eventually to its distribution as an independent product.
Speakeasy has several predefined kind of objects, which can often be operated on using the same algebraic syntax.
From this point of view, and considering the dynamic and structured nature of the data held in the "named storage", it is possible to say that Speakeasy since the beginning implemented a form of operator overloading, and a pragmatic approach to what was later called "Object Oriented Programming".