FOIL— a file-oriented interpretive language in Proceedings—1968 ACM National Conference, pages 93-98.John C. Hesselbart, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan In the summer of 1967 a project was begun at The University of Michigan to provide users of a generalpurpose, time-sharing system with the capability for exploring conversational uses of computers for instruction. The idea for the project developed from the interest of faculty members in a number of subject areas who wished to develop conversational programs and investigate the benefits of computer-assisted instruction in the classroom and laboratory using existing time-sharing facilities. Support was provided by UNIVAC Division of Sperry Rand Corporation. . . . FOIL (File-Oriented Interpretive Language) was devel- oped to provide conversational lesson-writing capability for potential instructional programmers who have access to a general-purpose, time-sharing system. Programs written in FOIL reside on direct-access files and are processed by an interpreter written in FORTRAN. The interpretive mode places few constraints on the syntax of the language and a number of beneficial features are achieved. . . . The source code for the processor is relatively machine independent and therefore easily adapted to other time-sharing systems. FOIL was originally implemented on an IBM 360/67 computer operating under the Michigan Terminal System. James Ruddell at the University of Maryland readily adapted the processor for the UNIVAC 1108 system and added capability for lesson building and editing. . . . |
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