Topic: no need for replacement

Summary

Some languages have no assignment statements, particularly those based on non-'von Neumann' computers, such as reduction machines. Definition languages have definition instead of assignment. The advantage of replacement is reusable symbols, and symbolic reference to state values. (cbb 5/80)

Subtopic: word-at-a-time thinking

Quote: the assignment statement keeps us thinking in word-at-a-time terms [»backJ8_1978a]

Subtopic: no assignment statement

Quote: TOPD does not have an assignment statement because the semantics are complicated [»hendP9_1975]

QuoteRef: wileDS11_1973 ;;114 note no assignment operator

Subtopic: single-assignment

Quote: allow declarations were needed. Used for initialize-only/single-assignment programming, references, initialized constants, and efficiency. [»stroB_1994]

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