Meaning: The quote by Yukihiro Matsumoto touches upon the concept of Turing completeness and its implications for programming languages. To understand this quote, we need to delve into the concept of Turing completeness and its significance in the realm of programming languages.

Turing completeness refers to the ability of a system to simulate a Turing machine, which is a mathematical model of computation that can perform any computation that can be described by an algorithm. In practical terms, a programming language is considered Turing complete if it can be used to simulate any single-tape Turing machine. This means that a Turing complete language is capable of expressing any computable function and can solve any problem that can be solved algorithmically.

In the context of the quote, Matsumoto highlights the concept of Turing completeness to convey that all Turing-complete languages possess the same computational power in theory. This means that any computation that can be carried out in one Turing-complete language can also be performed in another Turing-complete language. However, the key distinction lies in the efficiency and ease with which these computations can be executed in different languages.

Matsumoto's reference to "assembler" alludes to a low-level programming language that directly corresponds to the machine code instructions of a specific computer architecture. Assembler language provides a high level of control over the hardware, allowing developers to directly manipulate memory and registers. However, programming in assembler requires intricate knowledge of the underlying hardware and can be laborious and error-prone due to its low-level nature.

The statement "no one wants to program in assembler anymore" reflects the sentiment that while assembler language is capable of performing any computation, its complexity and lack of abstraction have made it less desirable for modern software development. As technology has advanced, higher-level programming languages have been developed to simplify the process of software development by providing more abstraction and automation of low-level tasks.

Furthermore, the phrase "at a different cost" draws attention to the trade-offs associated with different programming languages. While all Turing-complete languages have the same theoretical computational capabilities, they differ in terms of performance, readability, development speed, and maintainability. Some languages may excel in certain areas such as computational efficiency, while others may prioritize developer productivity and ease of understanding.

In essence, Matsumoto's quote underscores the fundamental principle of Turing completeness, emphasizing that the choice of programming language should be made based on the specific requirements of a given task, taking into account factors such as performance, maintainability, and developer experience. It serves as a reminder that while the theoretical capabilities of programming languages may be equivalent, their practical suitability for a particular problem can vary significantly.

In conclusion, Yukihiro Matsumoto's quote encapsulates the essence of Turing completeness and its implications for programming languages. It sheds light on the idea that while all Turing-complete languages possess the same computational power in theory, they differ in practical usability and efficiency. This insight underscores the importance of considering the trade-offs and practical implications when selecting a programming language for a given task.