Turing tarpit en · NOUN
Etymology
Coined by Alan Perlis (1922-1990), computer scientist, from the name of Alan Turing (1912-1954), who described a basis for all possible computational algorithms, and tarpit.
Meanings
-
The situation in which a programming language is only minimally Turing complete, so that "everything is possible but nothing is easy".
The basic reason for increasing the size of the language is the so-called Turing tarpit: if the language is too simple, one may be able to do anything in it.
1985, Jean-Paul Tremblay, Paul G Sorenson, The Theory and Practice of Compiler Writing:Without more abstract notions of what constitutes important aspects of a programming language, one is seriously in danger of falling into the Turing Tarpit.
1994, Jørgen Lindskov Knudsen, Object-oriented Environments: The Mjolner Approach:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turing Tarpit | alternative | lexicographic | |
| Turing tarpits | Number=Plur | lexicographic |