Why Lisp? (2015)
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Why Lisp? (2015)
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Re: Why Lisp? (2015)
#2TL;DR: Because it uses a minimal representation for data (S expressions). This makes it much easier to write representations of data (compared to XML, or even JSON). This makes it easier to represent code as data, and that opens up the whole world.
Re: Why Lisp? (2015)
#3Better question: why not Lisp?
Re: Why Lisp? (2015)
#4TL;DR: Because it uses a minimal representation for data (S expressions). This makes it much easier to write representations of data (compared to XML, or even JSON). This makes it easier to represent code as data, and that opens up the whole world.
Yes, but read the post anyway.
Re: Why Lisp? (2015)
#5Better question: why not Lisp?
[deleted]
Re: Why Lisp? (2015)
#6Better question: why not Lisp?
Re: Why Lisp? (2015)
#7TL;DR: Because it uses a minimal representation for data (S expressions). This makes it much easier to write representations of data (compared to XML, or even JSON). This makes it easier to represent code as data, and that opens up the whole world.
Yes, but read the post anyway.
Agreed. It's worth reading. My TL;DR was not meant to imply that it wasn't.
Re: Why Lisp? (2015)
#8Lisp probably was invented in the age of the typewriter.
If you look at mathematical notation, written with quill pens and paper…it’s even more concise. Functions are like lisp, f(x). Vectors are laid out on the page in an array and surrounded by two strokes. Matrices are a 2d array surrounded by two straight lines.
This whole approach seems as archaic as Roman numerals is for representing numbers (they were based on lines and slashes like a tally system).
Maybe there is an even better notation for representing code which will be as much a leap forward as the positional number system (which represents every number as a power series with base 10) was to numbers.
Re: Why Lisp? (2015)
#9Writing code that generates and compiles code in Lisp is just like writing any other kind of code.
Writing a C program that generates and compiles C code is a major pita in comparison, same goes for most other languages.
Even if you slap a different syntax on top, it's still a Sunday walk in the park to write a custom compiler.
Re: Why Lisp? (2015)
#10Lisp probably was invented in the age of the typewriter. If you look at mathematical notation, written with quill pens and paper…it’s even more concise. Functions are like lisp, f(x). Vectors are laid out on the page in an array and surrounded by two strokes. Matrices are a 2d array surrounded by two straight lines. This whole approach seems as archaic as Roman numerals is for representing numbers (they were based on…
> If you look at mathematical notation, written with quill pens and paper…it’s even more concise.
Yes, but now mathematics publishing predominantly uses a typewriter-era language for achieving it:
\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{amsmath}
\begin{document}
\[
M=
\begin{bmatrix}
1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 5 \\
3 & 4 & 5 & 6 & 7
\end{bmatrix}
\]
\end{document}