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Is block structure necessary?
Author(s) -
Hanson David R.
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
software: practice and experience
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.437
H-Index - 70
eISSN - 1097-024X
pISSN - 0038-0644
DOI - 10.1002/spe.4380110808
Subject(s) - block (permutation group theory) , block structure , computer science , programming language , identifier , structured programming , data structure , a priori and a posteriori , theoretical computer science , mathematics , combinatorics , telecommunications , philosophy , epistemology , core (optical fiber)
Block structure is traditionally considered an a priori requirement for algorithmic programming languages. Most new languages since Algol‐60 have block structure. Reasons exist, however, to omit the general form of block structure‐nested procedure definitions in which references to identifiers defined in outer procedures are permitted‐from programming languages, especially those intended for systems programming applications. This paper reviews the concept of block structure and considers its advantages and disadvantages. It concludes that, in many cases, a module facility is superior to block structure and should be considered in lieu of block structure in future languages.