If we
take an analogy with the output being a typeset document rather than a modeling tool,
we can look at the history of word processing. While the match is not perfect, we can
equate the modeling language to the formatting styles or template, the model to the
document, the modeling tool to the editing software, and the generator to the printing
software.
For word processing, levels 1 and 2 are lost in the mists of the past: it is a long time
since anybody had to hand code their own editor or printer driver. PostScript, TeX, and
LaTeX roughly correspond to the scale from levels 3 to 5. Only at level 6 with tools
like Microsoft Word did it become generally possible to make on-the-?¬‚y changes to
the styles, and have existing ???instances??? of those styles update instantly. Nowadays,
virtually everyone is at level 6, with a few diehards proving their skills on level 5 or 4.
Organizations have recognized the bene?¬?ts and savings and created in-house
templates for employees to use. Word processing is thus a mature technology, and
mature tools have also been widely adopted.
We could also make an analogy with web applications: initially everybody had to
write their own, then frameworks became available. The frameworks developed and
moved from generating code to reading con?¬?guration ?¬?les at start-up.
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