EPISODE · Jan 7, 2017 · 8 MIN

Compiler

from 50 Things That Made the Modern Economy · host BBC World Service

Installing Windows might take 5,000 years without the compiler, a remarkable innovation which made modern computing possible. Tim Harford tells a compelling story which has at its heart a pioneering woman called Grace Hopper who – along the way – single-handedly invented the idea of open source software too. The compiler evolved into COBOL – one of the first computer languages – and led to the distinction between hardware and software. Producer: Ben Crighton Editors: Richard Knight and Richard Vadon(Image: Grace M. Hopper, Credit: Bettman/Getty Images)