archena

7 ms·

1.
by archena 11y ago
But there's a key difference between language and writing: while writing is taught formally, language is learnt by imitation. If that's how we've evolved to use language, I don't see how standardisation could even make s
2.
Propositions as Filenames, Builds as Proofs: The Essence of Make(bentnib.org)
77 points by archena 11y ago|19 comments
3.
There Is No ‘Proper English’(wsj.com)
4 points by archena 12y ago|0 comments
4.
by archena 12y ago
It would need the ability to coin plausible replacement words too, like 'firststuffs'.
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by archena 12y ago
Not to nit-pick, but Chinese has as much grammar as any other language. The idea that Chinese "lacks grammar" needs to die. It seems to stem from the very eurocentric view that grammar consists of rules for inflecting words accord
6.
by archena 12y ago
What do "implict" and "explicit" languages even mean? Chinese uses a different grammar, so in that sense it puts ideas into words differently, but the idea that Chinese is somehow less literal than English is nonsense.
7.
by archena 12y ago
Much of this article focuses on the writing system, but it's possible to learn to converse in a language without being literate in it. It's a fallacy to say that Chinese is "hard" because it is written with characters (a
8.
by archena 12y ago
That and tail-call optimisation :)
9.
by archena 12y ago
I'd include combinatorics under 'useful' too - although the basics are usually covered in statistics courses. Odd that the list mentions differential equations but not basic calculus, which I'd think is more fundamental.
10.
by archena 12y ago
Why do you think SQL doesn't qualify? it's certainly not the only example of declarative programming, and maybe not the most interesting, but it is one which most developers have come across.
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by archena 12y ago
I've encountered a lot of c++ programmers who seem to dislike a lot of c++; even refusing to use the STL. Perhaps it's because c++ and Python have different cultural backgrounds: a lot of early c++ programmers came over grudgingly
12.
by archena 12y ago
I like these. Another generator version: def fbgen(text, divisor): while True: for i in range(1, divisor): yield "" yield text def derrangedBuzz(max): fizzer = fbgen("Fizz&
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Interrupt Services DOS/BIOS/EMS/Mouse(stanislavs.org)
1 points by archena 12y ago|0 comments
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Reflections on Akka(insidereality.net)
1 points by archena 12y ago|0 comments