The Howdy Glossary

SAMPL, developed by IBM in the 1960s, is a high-level programming language tailored for modeling and simulating physical systems. It allows engineers and scientists to use algebraic equations similar to mathematical notation, simplifying complex problem translation into code without handling low-level instructions. SAMPL was designed to work effectively with the System/360 mainframe computer family, making it a valuable tool for solving engineering problems through simulation.

One of SAMPL’s unique features is its ability to enable users to express designs using algebraic equations reminiscent of mathematical notation. This feature makes it easier for engineers and scientists to directly translate complex computational challenges into code. Unlike general-purpose programming languages, SAMPL specializes in modeling and simulating physical systems, providing a focused approach tailored specifically for engineering tasks and simulations. However, more modern languages like Modelica, Simulink, and LabVIEW have largely supplanted SAMPL due to their advanced features and broader capabilities.

Compared with its competitors such as Modelica's object-oriented language approach, Simulink's model-based design within MATLAB’s environment, and LabVIEW's graphical programming with extensive hardware integration features—SAMPL holds historical significance as an early domain-specific language designed for engineering simulations. While it has been replaced by more advanced tools over time, SAMPL remains noteworthy for its user-friendly interface that allows direct translation of computational problems into code using symbolic assembly language—a pioneering step in the development of specialized simulation languages in computing history.