The Mechanical Evaluation of Expressions

The work

AuthorsP. J. Landin
Typearticle
Year1964
Citekeylandin1964mechanical

Where it appeared

Published inThe Computer Journal
PublisherOxford University Press
Volume6
Issue4
Pages308--320

Identifiers

DOI10.1093/comjnl/6.4.308

Abstract

This paper is a contribution to the “theory” of the activity of using computers. It shows how some forms of expression used in current programming languages can be modelled in Church’s λ-notation, and then describes a way of “interpreting” such expressions. This suggests a method, of analyzing the things computer users write, that applies to many different problem orientations and to different phases of the activity of using a computer. Also a technique is introduced by which the various composite information structures involved can be formally characterized in their essentials, without commitment to specific written or other representations.

A copy is held

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How it got here

How it got hereimport via bibtex
Added2026-08-09 00:00 UTC
Approved bya person 2026-08-22 13:13 UTC

Cite it as

@article{landin1964mechanical,
  title        = {The Mechanical Evaluation of Expressions},
  author       = {P. J. Landin},
  year         = {1964},
  journal      = {The Computer Journal},
  volume       = {6},
  number       = {4},
  pages        = {308--320},
  publisher    = {Oxford University Press},
  doi          = {10.1093/comjnl/6.4.308},
}

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