LL-L: "Ogam & Occam" [E] LOWLANDS-L, 14.SEP.1999 (05)

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From: lcwilson at iee.org
Subject: LL-L: "Ogam & Occam" [E] LOWLANDS-L, 12.SEP.1999 (03)

At 15:43 12/09/99 -0700, Roger P. G. Thijs wrote:

>In "Het Belang van Limburg" of Sept. 9 there was an article about the "Ogam"
>language, apparently originated from Dacia, ... or Shinar, or ..., bur once
>spoken, and written, in Ireland. Is there anything "less speculative" and
>"more scientific" written about this language? Does it share a similar lack
>of certainty with the Pict language.
>
>The name is somehow similar to a procedural computer language ("procedural"
>is generally used as opposite to "object oriented" when classifying computer
>languages) "Occam", or rather "Occam_2", that we once used for programming
>transputers (parallel computers) of CSA (Computer System Architects, Provo,
>Utah).

As far as I know, the similarity between the two names is a coincidence.

Ogam or Ogham isn't a language but an alphabet, where the letters are
composed mainly of horizontal and diagonal lines. It was used for
inscriptions in ancient times, in what we nowadays call Scotland and
Ireland, in Gaelic and (yes) Pictish.

The computer language Occam is named after the medieval English
philosopher, William of Occam (also spelt "Ockham").

Corrections are welcome.

Colin Wilson.

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                               the graip wis tint, the besom wis duin
Colin Wilson                   the barra wadna row its lane
postin fae Glesca              an sicna soss it nivver wis seen
                               lik the muckin o Geordie's byre
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