Folks,

Just like Santa Clause and green M&Ms, "They do exist".

"4GL" is a generally accepted term for the classification of computer language products that were designed to facilitate application development.  It doesn't matter if a very small set of readers dislike the term.  

As to the debate on which one is more productive, as a coder in COBOL, FORTRAN, BASIC, Java, C#, C++, Visual Basic, Powerhouse Quick, Speedware, Powersoft, HP's Rapid Transact, and Today (HP3000 4GL out of Australia), the answer is:  Who cares?  The question was debated 20 years ago and is personal preference based.  The correct question is what is the development need, what are the timeframes, and what are my resources (people/expertise, money, language availability).  Today, every language has frameworks, wizards, and code libraries so the 4GL distinction is no longer in common use.  

I have been mostly offline nursing a toothache that made me a honorary member of Alvin and the Chipmunks band but hope to add some new TurboIMAGE text to the Wikipedia article this week.  So if anyone has something they would like added and can provide a reference, please let me know privately.  And if you don't have references, I likely have it in the references I have uncovered.

Cheers!

Terry

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