Philosophy

[cowhead]

Please skip this post if you are feeling pragmatic.
Scott writes:
I disagree: xTalk is a high-level language well suited to most
application development, if not for bit-fiddling with low-level OS and
hardware features.  While it's true that you give up some performance
and flexibility using a high-level language, you more than make up for
this with increased productivity.  Note that I'm not criticising C/C++


I have a quick philosophical question:
(1) When you write in a higher language like C, there is nothing you can
'say' that cannot also be written directly in machine-code, is that
correct?  In other words, you could create a language that introduces
novel computing approaches, but in the end it must be compilable, which
means translated into machine code?
(2) Now, my impression has been that the metacard engine more or less
emulates a mini-computer, ie creates a virtual computer within your
computer.  If that idea is correct, then metacards virtual computer
machine-talk is different from the real computer's machine talk, but
does idea (1) above still hold true?  In other words, anything I write
in transcript 'could' be written directly in machine-code?
thanks,

mark mitchell
Japan