Re: Interesting article by Joel Spolsky: The Perils of JavaSchools

In article <1137105579.151067.150050@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
wookiz@xxxxxxxxxxx says...

> If you ask in the real world...(by that I mean Joe Public whose
> thinking has not been perverted by languages that are mere Von Neumann
> Architecture abstractions) they will tell you that a language that
> gives you
>
> a) 3 different ways of executing iteration in a manner that no sane
> human would.

But, as I showed, the toddler climbing up the stairs uses ordinary
iteration.

> b) Tells you that y can equal y + 1

y == z returns false when z = y + 1

We use the word 'equals' for both; Joe Public will be well aware that
context alters sense. He may himself observe that one pugilist equals
another in reach, and will not expect listeners to conclude that they
must be clones.

> c) does not adhere to the common mathematical usage of variables

We would have to ask Joe Public for his view on the common mathematical
usage of variables, and why it should apply to their use in a language,
before we could judge his opinions.

> is
>
> i) awkward
> ii) exotic
>
> and if you told him/her that it was more popular he would think that
> you and all the people who think like that were strange.

All popular things seem strange to non-fans.

- Gerry Quinn

.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Verbose and flexible args and kwargs syntax
    ... "Equals" can be taken to mean anything the language designer ... Even my tiny Pocket Oxford dictionary lists five definitions. ... C is merely one of many languages which have influenced Python, ...
    (comp.lang.python)
  • Re: Universal grammar
    ... One times infinite equals two times ... is a "wormhole" between mathematics ruled by the basic formula ... of accompanying neuronal network computing, ... of today, however, you can never really tame language. ...
    (sci.lang)
  • Re: Interesting article by Joel Spolsky: The Perils of JavaSchools
    ... Gerry Quinn wrote: ... > usage of variables, and why it should apply to their use in a language, ... >> you and all the people who think like that were strange. ... > All popular things seem strange to non-fans. ...
    (comp.programming)
  • Re: Universal grammar
    ... One times infinite equals two times ... Also language follows Goethe's formula. ... Other forms of computing appear on the horizon as well: ... Also grammar of the future may be a combination of grammars: ...
    (sci.lang)
  • Re: no news group for R ?
    ... I find this strange given that R is supposed to be popular? ... there ought to be a group for R and why is there no one yet? ...
    (sci.stat.math)