[OT] Is the D(n) PL discovery or invention?

[Steven Schveighoffer]

On Thu, 05 Aug 2010 07:26:29 -0400, Justin Johansson <no at spam.com> wrote:

> This question is a play on the eternal question
> "is mathematics discovery or invention?"
>
> There are many web references to the latter topic
> and web search is easy, take this one for example:
>
> "IS mathematics a discovery or invention"
> Friday, 16. November 2007, 07:19:16
> http://my.opera.com/maxx%20steel/blog/2007/11/16/is-mathematics-a-discovery-or-invention
>
> and your own web searches will uncover a myriad of ideas and opinions
> on this very subject.
>
> My discussion starter is now about programming languages (PLs)
> and their relation to discovery or invention.
>
> Since PLs are somewhat related to maths, does it bare fruit
> to ask the same question of PLs themselves?
>
> Obvious questions that might be asked include:
>
> What is the definition of discovery versus invention?
>
> Is there a gray-scale (or a continuum) between discovery and invention?
>
> In the context of the D PL, where does D(version n) lie in the continuum
> between discovery and invention.
>
> I have my own ideas on this subject and will admit that my
> leaning is towards discovery.
>
> What's your opinion?

I suppose the classification of discovery or invention really comes down  
to if someone else wrote it, would it be *necessarily* the same.

For example, if aliens (the outer space kind) wrote programming languages,  
would they also "discover" D?  I would say no.  But I would completely  
expect them to discover the formula for newton's law of gravity, or the  
properties of prime numbers.

I rank PL's as inventions, not discoveries.  Every one of them.  Even  
machine code.

There are programming elements that I think are discoveries, however.   
Algorithms for instance are discoveries to some degree.

-Steve