The Howdy Glossary

Focal is a programming language created by Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) in 1968, designed explicitly for engineers and scientists to write programs on the PDP-8 minicomputer. It features arithmetic operations, conditional statements, and loop constructs, allowing users to develop programs without requiring extensive knowledge of complex computer operations. This simplicity was central to its design, making Focal accessible for non-computer science experts.

During its era, Focal faced competition from other languages like Fortran, BASIC, and APL. Fortran was known for its strong numerical computation capabilities in scientific and engineering applications. BASIC attracted users with its accessibility and ease of use for beginners in programming. APL offered a concise syntax focused on array processing for mathematical computing tasks. Despite these alternatives, Focal carved out a niche by emphasizing user-friendliness specifically tailored to the PDP-8 minicomputer's technical professionals.

Focal's competitive edge lay in empowering engineers and scientists through its streamlined design that facilitated efficient program development without needing deep computing knowledge. By providing an environment conducive to performing arithmetic operations, utilizing conditional statements, and implementing loop constructs straightforwardly, Focal distinguished itself from competitors like Fortran's robust computational abilities or BASIC's beginner-friendly approach. This focus on accessibility allowed non-experts to efficiently write programs on the PDP-8 minicomputer enhancing productivity within scientific and engineering fields.