TEXTS
Programming languages
Programming is something very beautiful, allowing you to write ideas in an orderly fashion and perform repetitive calculations.
I like several programming languages. My main language, by tradition, is Fortran. One might think it is very old, but it allows me to do all the necessary numerical and graphical calculations. I like Fortran because it was one of the first I learned; it is actually very simple and with few instructions you can do everything. I have added some graphical subroutines to classic Fortran (gnufortran) that allow me to generate 2D and 3D DXF drawings for viewing and modifying with CAD software. With that, along with reports and numerical listings, I can calculate everything I need.
C is one of the most classic languages. I don't use it much because everything I can do with C, I already do with Fortran.
Basic is another classic language. I used it initially with Sinclair microcomputers, first with the ZX-81 and then with the ZX Spectrum. Also Qbasic on early PCs. There are many versions available. Recently I have used sdlbasic, which allows programming very easily.
The next interesting language is 'bash' and the whole collection of UNIX commands and associated programs, which make a wonderful and endless list. We would also be talking about awk, gnuplot, imagemagick, mogrify, gv... endless!
Special mention goes to the Octave program, which allows numerical calculations in an interpreted and very compact way. It is a compact, interpreted alternative to Fortran, where calculation speed is not essential. A very similar program is Scilab and others. I prefer Octave because it is part of the GNU project.
Tcl/Tk is a language that reminds me a lot of bash, and allows you to create graphical interfaces relatively easily. I have worked on an interface for my best program (LEparagliding), and I am studying more generic interfaces.
Python should also be mentioned; it offers many possibilities and allows you to create graphical interfaces relatively simply. I am interested in it for its interaction with FreeCAD. I also use EZDXF, which is a library for creating CAD documents in DXF format. Python syntax, however, is not my favourite. It is probably a good alternative to Tcl/Tk, and even Octave.
A great wonder is OpenSCAD, which allows you to make 3D parametric drawings in an extraordinarily simple and intuitive way. It is programmed 3D drawing. It also allows me to do static and dynamic graphical experiments in 3D. Another similar program is BRL-CAD, but less intuitive.
POV-Ray (Persistence Of Vision Raytracer) is another wonder, in this case of surrealism. I haven't found many practical applications so far, but it deserves study.
TeX is a document creation system based on programming. You write the commands for how you want the document to look. Combined with bash scripts, it allows you to generate and format entire projects. It is an idea I have been studying for some time, and you will be able to see some examples in the dedicated section.
HTML is the language for making web pages, like this one. It consists of writing a document describing how it will look. The idea is similar to TeX but for web documents. It is a bit strange at first, but having all the document formatting programmed allows for high quality in the final result. I use it directly with the gvim text editor. However, there is another very important application of HTML, which is generating complete programs with a web interface. In this last aspect, AI helps us a lot!
Then there are other codes such as DXF, KML/KMZ, LandXML, and others... I am not sure they are programming languages, but I use them as such. Usually it is enough to study a few examples with reverse engineering to deduce what we need to modify in our own codes. In case of doubt about syntax, ask a reliable AI.
On this page I attach some pieces of software that I have been developing over the years (and will continue to add). You can copy, study, modify, and use them freely according to the principles of free software. I am constantly working on new scripts and pieces of code.