Work

Every file is a program, but not the reverse

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: The concept of a program, unlike that of a file, is an informal one, giving rise to inaccurate or even false assumptions. In this article, we will contest two of them. First, using historical examples, we will show that there are programs that are not files. Then, more surprisingly, we will argue that any file can be seen as a program, since all criteria characterizing programs hold true for files. In particular, we will conclude that there is no technical reason to distinguish between file/program and program/interpreter pairs.

Source: European Mathematical Society Magazine

DOI: 10.4171/mag/205

Author: Baptiste Mélès

Institutions: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université de Strasbourg, Université de Lorraine

Language: English

Topic: Logic, programming, and type systems

Subfield: Artificial Intelligence

Field: Computer Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Funder: Agence Nationale de la Recherche

Award: What is a program? Historical and Philosophical Perspectives