Comments on: The most important programming language http://compsci.ca/blog/the-most-important-programming-language/ Programming, Education, Computer Science Thu, 24 Feb 2011 18:08:53 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Jasper() http://compsci.ca/blog/the-most-important-programming-language/comment-page-1/#comment-110486 Jasper() Mon, 26 Jan 2009 18:31:56 +0000 http://compsci.ca/blog/the-most-important-programming-language/#comment-110486 "Now that is a dumb statement. I suppose it would make you feel like a special member of an elite Mensa-esque club if the only people allowed to program weren’t allowed to use infix, imperative programming, or nonrecursive implementations" You can program imperatively and nonrecursively with lisp. And it is easy to write binary functions in the traditional way with a macro, if you really want to punch yourself in the face. Hell, you could make a macro that takes a string, and allow arbitrary syntax in the string. The point is that s-expressions showed an easy way to make all-singing all-dancing macros. And they had higher order functions too. Yet new languages like C did not learn from this. Nor did dozens of other languages. Instead of building on top of the known, they made their own syntaxes, even ones that look a lot like s-expressions with injected stupidity.(Everything based on xml.) They could have made .html and javascript different versions of lisp limited to not horribly hacking you system, or limited to running in one go to make a page. The could have made C its own equivalent with s-expressions.(Working on that.) Scripting would be noncompiled or byte-compiled lisp, internet specifications like html, same with limitations, all could have been lisp. “Now that is a dumb statement. I suppose it would make you feel like a special member of an elite Mensa-esque club if the only people allowed to program weren’t allowed to use infix, imperative programming, or nonrecursive implementations”

You can program imperatively and nonrecursively with lisp. And it is easy to write binary functions in the traditional way with a macro, if you really want to punch yourself in the face. Hell, you could make a macro that takes a string, and allow arbitrary syntax in the string.

The point is that s-expressions showed an easy way to make all-singing all-dancing macros. And they had higher order functions too. Yet new languages like C did not learn from this. Nor did dozens of other languages.

Instead of building on top of the known, they made their own syntaxes, even ones that look a lot like s-expressions with injected stupidity.(Everything based on xml.) They could have made .html and javascript different versions of lisp limited to not horribly hacking you system, or limited to running in one go to make a page. The could have made C its own equivalent with s-expressions.(Working on that.) Scripting would be noncompiled or byte-compiled lisp, internet specifications like html, same with limitations, all could have been lisp.

]]> By: Tony http://compsci.ca/blog/the-most-important-programming-language/comment-page-1/#comment-109256 Tony Fri, 19 Sep 2008 04:39:42 +0000 http://compsci.ca/blog/the-most-important-programming-language/#comment-109256 Looks like you've completely missed the point. The purpose of the exercise was to realize that this is not about any particular flavour of syntax. But even if it was about actual pieces of technology -- how would you define "most established" term, for the purpose of your argument? Both Java and PHP are relatively new (just over 10 years old each). The most "established" (at least in terms of legacy) would still be COBOL. Looks like you’ve completely missed the point. The purpose of the exercise was to realize that this is not about any particular flavour of syntax.

But even if it was about actual pieces of technology — how would you define “most established” term, for the purpose of your argument? Both Java and PHP are relatively new (just over 10 years old each). The most “established” (at least in terms of legacy) would still be COBOL.

]]> By: Bon Scott http://compsci.ca/blog/the-most-important-programming-language/comment-page-1/#comment-109251 Bon Scott Thu, 18 Sep 2008 23:57:38 +0000 http://compsci.ca/blog/the-most-important-programming-language/#comment-109251 I prefer to believe its matter of personal choice and style. Some like robust code, and some hardcore oldcshool coding other likdes more elegant and job to be done the fastest and easist way it can not of price on quality. Looking from the point of someone who wants to develop usefull piece of software that can be integrated and compatible with most established technology used in computer world today my vote goes to JAVA and PHP in combination with MySQL databases. I prefer to believe its matter of personal choice and style.
Some like robust code, and some hardcore oldcshool coding other likdes more elegant and job to be done the fastest and easist way it can not of price on quality.

Looking from the point of someone who wants to develop usefull piece of software that can be integrated and compatible with most established technology used in computer world today my vote goes to JAVA and PHP in combination with MySQL databases.

]]> By: Clement http://compsci.ca/blog/the-most-important-programming-language/comment-page-1/#comment-109161 Clement Sun, 14 Sep 2008 09:40:58 +0000 http://compsci.ca/blog/the-most-important-programming-language/#comment-109161 But somehow the knowledge of C/C++ makes it pretty for one to learn these other languages. But somehow the knowledge of C/C++ makes it pretty for one to learn these other languages.

]]> By: Tony http://compsci.ca/blog/the-most-important-programming-language/comment-page-1/#comment-109067 Tony Tue, 09 Sep 2008 02:24:39 +0000 http://compsci.ca/blog/the-most-important-programming-language/#comment-109067 While it's true that some developers could get quite fanatical over their preferred tool (<a href="http://compsci.ca/blog/if-a-programming-language-was-a-boat/" title="If a programming language was a boat" rel="nofollow">see (PHP and ColdFusion) comments here</a>), the main difference that the said developers had to choose the subject of their zeal for themselves (hopefully after trying out multiple languages and making a vaguely educated decision). While it’s true that some developers could get quite fanatical over their preferred tool (see (PHP and ColdFusion) comments here), the main difference that the said developers had to choose the subject of their zeal for themselves (hopefully after trying out multiple languages and making a vaguely educated decision).

]]> By: B http://compsci.ca/blog/the-most-important-programming-language/comment-page-1/#comment-109064 B Tue, 09 Sep 2008 01:55:53 +0000 http://compsci.ca/blog/the-most-important-programming-language/#comment-109064 Programming language is very much like religion. If you already preferred one, you would not believe what others would say about the other religion. And you would be very lenient with whatever discrepancy or confusion written in your religion's 'bible'. And you would be very vocal with discrepancy in other religions. All religions teach good behaviors & good manners. You can be the best person in the neigbourhood if you practice the rules. However, as a general rule of thumb, stick to major language/religion. If your religion is too exotic, your country may not have public holiday on its celebration days. You also may not find many buddies to share problems or joyful moments. Programming language is very much like religion. If you already preferred one, you would not believe what others would say about the other religion.

And you would be very lenient with whatever discrepancy or confusion written in your religion’s ‘bible’.

And you would be very vocal with discrepancy in other religions.

All religions teach good behaviors & good manners. You can be the best person in the neigbourhood if you practice the rules.

However, as a general rule of thumb, stick to major language/religion.

If your religion is too exotic, your country may not have public holiday on its celebration days.

You also may not find many buddies to share problems or joyful moments.

]]> By: Tony http://compsci.ca/blog/the-most-important-programming-language/comment-page-1/#comment-109049 Tony Mon, 08 Sep 2008 19:41:19 +0000 http://compsci.ca/blog/the-most-important-programming-language/#comment-109049 Spot on. I've heard of the absolutely horrible approaches along the lines of "lets do everything we've done last year... but this time with Java". This really ruins students in a way of steering them towards the <a href="http://compsci.ca/blog/you-dont-know-that-programming-language/" title="You don't know that programming language" rel="nofollow">"know" programming language</a> mentality. Spot on. I’ve heard of the absolutely horrible approaches along the lines of “lets do everything we’ve done last year… but this time with Java”. This really ruins students in a way of steering them towards the “know” programming language mentality.

]]> By: Clayton http://compsci.ca/blog/the-most-important-programming-language/comment-page-1/#comment-109048 Clayton Mon, 08 Sep 2008 19:28:56 +0000 http://compsci.ca/blog/the-most-important-programming-language/#comment-109048 The biggest offenders to this (that I have been exposed to) are high-school students. I tend to believe that the way computer science is taught in high school (as a very closed-circuit system) makes students blissfully ignorant about anything not to do with the language they happen to be working with. Of course, this all has to do with the teacher teaching the course of course. The biggest offenders to this (that I have been exposed to) are high-school students. I tend to believe that the way computer science is taught in high school (as a very closed-circuit system) makes students blissfully ignorant about anything not to do with the language they happen to be working with. Of course, this all has to do with the teacher teaching the course of course.

]]> By: Fred McCoy http://compsci.ca/blog/the-most-important-programming-language/comment-page-1/#comment-109043 Fred McCoy Mon, 08 Sep 2008 17:10:18 +0000 http://compsci.ca/blog/the-most-important-programming-language/#comment-109043 I'm surprised that someone could call Computer Science not a form of science considering it embodies every scientific ideal. That you can explore multiple routes (coding languages) and still arrive on the same answer. That is science. Testing, hypothesizing, trying everything you possibly can. I’m surprised that someone could call Computer Science not a form of science considering it embodies every scientific ideal. That you can explore multiple routes (coding languages) and still arrive on the same answer. That is science. Testing, hypothesizing, trying everything you possibly can.

]]> By: Ryan http://compsci.ca/blog/the-most-important-programming-language/comment-page-1/#comment-108991 Ryan Sat, 06 Sep 2008 14:34:17 +0000 http://compsci.ca/blog/the-most-important-programming-language/#comment-108991 An interesting post, as a computer science student myself I do hear that and similar questions pop up. The answer or response however seems to be different every time, it even goes as far as lecturers saying the programming language they teach is the next biggest thing. :) An interesting post, as a computer science student myself I do hear that and similar questions pop up. The answer or response however seems to be different every time, it even goes as far as lecturers saying the programming language they teach is the next biggest thing. :)

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