On Thu, 13 Apr 2000, Stephen T. Pope wrote:

> The IFPUG (Int'l function points users group) collects this kind
> of table every few years based on the collected experience of
> their members. This means that these numbers are derived from real
> projects, rather than religion, and also that they reflect system,
> environment, and library issues in addition to language issues.
> From the table I have (reproduced in the ParcPlace OO Methodology
> workshop notes rev. 4.3 [1994] part 4, p. 31) here are a few other numbers:
> 
> Language		Level		LOC per FP 
> Assembly		1			320
> C			2.5			128
> C++			12			27
> Smalltalk		15			21	-- this seems to have changed over time
> SQL			25			13
> 
> 
> Interesting that Java seems to be exactly half as "high-level" as
> C++ !

I think the table you're looking at may be out of date... the table at
http://www.spr.com/library/0langtbl.htm is presumably the latest, dated
1996.

It lists C++ as language level 6.0, with 53 source statements per function
point.  Java is also listed in this table, with the same values, so it's
around the same "level" after all.

As far as other languages in the table such as SHELL, SQL and EXCEL are
concerned, it might be nice if the table somehow distinguished between
general-purpose programming languages and special-purpose (macro, query,
etc.) languages...

- Doug Way
  EAI/Transom Technologies, Ann Arbor, MI
  http://www.transom.com
  dway at mat.net, @eai.com


> Eric Arseneau wrote:
> > 
> > Just found an intersting table that rates different languages, have not had
> > a chance to read the article much, but I thought this was interesting:
> > 
> > Java       Level: 6     Avg source statements per function point: 53
> > Smalltalk  Level: 15    Avg source statements per function point: 16
> > 
> > I thought it was interesting since this was what seems a completely
> > un-biased assessment.  More infor we can use as foder for the Java battles
> > we are having and will have.  As I've said before, I am not for this idea
> > that we are at "war", but this is interesting info none the less.  It would
> > be interesting to snarf the table and show how many languages were below and
> > above Smalltalk and Java.
> > 
> > Not that we need more proof ourselves, but it may help those assessing the
> > pros and cons of this wonderful tool and language we all love ;->
> 
> -- 
> 
> stp
>   Stephen Travis Pope
>   http://www.create.ucsb.edu/~stp
> 
>