5 ms·

Straight up dude. Can we get an explanation for the rest of us?

by cat5e 2y ago

quantadev 2y ago
[flagged]
- hollerith 2y ago
  Although it might turn out to be a waste of everyone's time, it is quite sincere (not a hoax).
  - ryandv 2y ago
    It's a sign of the times here when people decry computer science constructs they can't understand as hoaxes.
    - quantadev 2y ago
      Well, "hoax" may indeed not be the best word, because it implies intent. I've known of another highly intelligent software developer that invented similar symbology, but was suffering from a mental disorder which made him believe his work was useful even though it's only uses were 'self-referential'. Highly intelligent people, including software developers, are not immune from such disorders.
      - ryandv 2y ago
        The author has been publishing math and compsci papers since the 80s [0] with another on the way [1]. Maybe stick to TypeScript? [0] https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=eWreFm4AAAAJ&hl=en https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=eWreFm4AAAAJ&hl=en [1] https://popl25.sigplan.org/details/pepm-2025-papers/5/Typed-Program-Analysis-Without-Encodings https://popl25.sigplan.org/details/pepm-2025-papers/5/Typed-...
        quantadev 2y ago
        Ok, thanks. I'll avoid the Turning Tarpits. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turing_tarpit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turing_tarpit
      - mrkeen 2y ago
        Is the Y combinator a hoax? λf. (λx. f (x x))(λx. f (x x))
        quantadev 2y ago
        Y Combinator is the simple syntax for representing the concept of passing a function to itself, so it's useful, for symbolic manipulation. However the "Tree Calculus", just from those 5 little rules, is supposedly able to do all kinds of magic. I'm not buying it. It's nothing but musings and examples of binary trees, and how you can convert various data structures to binary trees.
hollerith 2y ago
If it turns out to be broadly useful (to working programmers) I'm sure someone will write up a better explanation. At its current state of development, it might be more appropriate for the blog "Lambda the Ultimate" than HN.
- toxik 2y ago
  Do you know what a Y combinator is?
  - hollerith 2y ago
    Yes. And I needed to know to follow some of the code ("constructions"?) in the OP.
- lolinder 2y ago
  By the measuring stick of "anything that gratifies one's intellectual curiosity," I'd say this submission has been a roaring success for a lot of people. The nice thing about HN is that if something on the front page doesn't gratify your personal curiosity there are 29 more things that might.
  - AnimalMuppet 2y ago
    And if the other 29 don't scratch your itch either, then there's a "More" link...

Straight up dude. Can we get an explanation for the rest of us?

by cat5e 2y ago

Straight up dude. Can we get an explanation for the rest of us?

quantadev 2y ago

[flagged]

hollerith 2y ago
Although it might turn out to be a waste of everyone's time, it is quite sincere (not a hoax).
- ryandv 2y ago
  It's a sign of the times here when people decry computer science constructs they can't understand as hoaxes.
  - quantadev 2y ago
    Well, "hoax" may indeed not be the best word, because it implies intent. I've known of another highly intelligent software developer that invented similar symbology, but was suffering from a mental disorder which made him believe his work was useful even though it's only uses were 'self-referential'. Highly intelligent people, including software developers, are not immune from such disorders.
    - ryandv 2y ago
      The author has been publishing math and compsci papers since the 80s [0] with another on the way [1]. Maybe stick to TypeScript? [0] https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=eWreFm4AAAAJ&hl=en https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=eWreFm4AAAAJ&hl=en [1] https://popl25.sigplan.org/details/pepm-2025-papers/5/Typed-Program-Analysis-Without-Encodings https://popl25.sigplan.org/details/pepm-2025-papers/5/Typed-...
      - quantadev 2y ago
        Ok, thanks. I'll avoid the Turning Tarpits. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turing_tarpit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turing_tarpit
    - mrkeen 2y ago
      Is the Y combinator a hoax? λf. (λx. f (x x))(λx. f (x x))
      - quantadev 2y ago
        Y Combinator is the simple syntax for representing the concept of passing a function to itself, so it's useful, for symbolic manipulation. However the "Tree Calculus", just from those 5 little rules, is supposedly able to do all kinds of magic. I'm not buying it. It's nothing but musings and examples of binary trees, and how you can convert various data structures to binary trees.

hollerith 2y ago

If it turns out to be broadly useful (to working programmers) I'm sure someone will write up a better explanation. At its current state of development, it might be more appropriate for the blog "Lambda the Ultimate" than HN.

toxik 2y ago
Do you know what a Y combinator is?
- hollerith 2y ago
  Yes. And I needed to know to follow some of the code ("constructions"?) in the OP.
lolinder 2y ago
By the measuring stick of "anything that gratifies one's intellectual curiosity," I'd say this submission has been a roaring success for a lot of people. The nice thing about HN is that if something on the front page doesn't gratify your personal curiosity there are 29 more things that might.
- AnimalMuppet 2y ago
  And if the other 29 don't scratch your itch either, then there's a "More" link...