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INTERPRETER
A PROGRAM supplied especially for a particular type of COMPUTER, to enable the translation of code expressed in some PROGRAMMING LANGUAGE into OBJECT CODE for that type of COMPUTER. An INTERPRETER undertakes translation of the user's PROGRAM in small functional units (statements) to OBJECT CODE as the PROGRAM is used and allows modification of the sequence of statements without need to generate a full explicit OBJECT CODE version of the PROGRAM; this is in contrast to the action of a COMPILER. Use of an INTERPRETER is convenient and flexible for program development; however, running a program produced in this way generally requires more computational resource (particuarly in terms of run time) than for the OBJECT CODE produced using a COMPILER.
INTERVAL SCALE
A characteristic of data such that the difference between two values measured on the scale has the same substantive meaning/significance irrespective of the common level of the two values being compared. This implies that scores may meaningfully be added or subtracted and that the mean is a representative measure of central tendency. Such data are common in the domain of physical sciences or engineering - e.g. lengths or weights. Also see : MEASUREMENT TYPE, SCALE TYPES, STEVENS' TYPOLOGY.
ISO
[Initials/acronym for the International Standards Organisation, based in Geneva, Switzerland] This body publishes specifications for a number of STANDARD PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES. The specifications are arranged generally to concur with those of ANSI.
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