Learn Programming with OCaml

#1

Post by elvis70 » Sat, Sep 05, 2026, 4:45 PM UTC

Learn Programming with OCaml
usr.lmf.cnrs.fr

Re: Learn Programming with OCaml

#2

Post by throwaw12 » Sat, Sep 05, 2026, 7:14 PM UTC

> Learn Programming with OCaml

Lately, I keep asking myself, do I need to learn this new thing, should I force myself to learn this thing, LLMs know it anyways and so on.

So (asking genuinely), should we learn these things?

Re: Learn Programming with OCaml

#3

Post by adalacelove » Sat, Sep 05, 2026, 7:17 PM UTC

throwaw12 wrote: post #2

> Learn Programming with OCaml Lately, I keep asking myself, do I need to learn this new thing, should I force myself to learn this thing, LLMs know it anyways and so on. So (asking genuinely), should we learn these things?

Should you learn history if it is already written in a book? Should you live if others are already living?

Re: Learn Programming with OCaml

#4

Post by xiaoyu2006 » Sat, Sep 05, 2026, 7:25 PM UTC

throwaw12 wrote: post #2

> Learn Programming with OCaml Lately, I keep asking myself, do I need to learn this new thing, should I force myself to learn this thing, LLMs know it anyways and so on. So (asking genuinely), should we learn these things?

You can also learn for your own amusement, and solely for the fun of comprehension; a lot of mathematician were driven by this. It's a shame current social value places so much utilitariaism on learning.

Re: Learn Programming with OCaml

#5

Post by dadoum » Sat, Sep 05, 2026, 7:26 PM UTC

throwaw12 wrote: post #2

> Learn Programming with OCaml Lately, I keep asking myself, do I need to learn this new thing, should I force myself to learn this thing, LLMs know it anyways and so on. So (asking genuinely), should we learn these things?

My experience with OCaml has transformed how I think about programming and complex system design. This may also be true if you learn any other functional programming language, but OCaml is easy and flexible which makes it good imo as a door towards the more formal part of comp sci. Even for steering an LLM I think this might help.

Re: Learn Programming with OCaml

#6

Post by zvmaz » Sat, Sep 05, 2026, 7:28 PM UTC

Tangentially, a great interview with the creator of OCaml, Xavier Leroy [1].

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Cswiqrq6So

Re: Learn Programming with OCaml

#7

Post by ahoka » Sat, Sep 05, 2026, 7:29 PM UTC

throwaw12 wrote: post #2

> Learn Programming with OCaml Lately, I keep asking myself, do I need to learn this new thing, should I force myself to learn this thing, LLMs know it anyways and so on. So (asking genuinely), should we learn these things?

Why learn an instrument when you can just press play?

Re: Learn Programming with OCaml

#8

Post by sublinear » Sat, Sep 05, 2026, 7:29 PM UTC

throwaw12 wrote: post #2

> Learn Programming with OCaml Lately, I keep asking myself, do I need to learn this new thing, should I force myself to learn this thing, LLMs know it anyways and so on. So (asking genuinely), should we learn these things?

What the hell else do you have to do?!

Re: Learn Programming with OCaml

#9

Post by a2ff6eeb0 » Sat, Sep 05, 2026, 7:29 PM UTC

adalacelove wrote: post #3

throwaw12 wrote: post #2

> Learn Programming with OCaml Lately, I keep asking myself, do I need to learn this new thing, should I force myself to learn this thing, LLMs know it anyways and so on. So (asking genuinely), should we learn these things?

Should you learn history if it is already written in a book? Should you live if others are already living?

For most people, history is trivia.

Re: Learn Programming with OCaml

#10

Post by _HMCB_ » Sat, Sep 05, 2026, 7:34 PM UTC

xiaoyu2006 wrote: post #4

throwaw12 wrote: post #2

> Learn Programming with OCaml Lately, I keep asking myself, do I need to learn this new thing, should I force myself to learn this thing, LLMs know it anyways and so on. So (asking genuinely), should we learn these things?

You can also learn for your own amusement, and solely for the fun of comprehension; a lot of mathematician were driven by this. It's a shame current social value places so much utilitariaism on learning.

This ^