21–30 of 51 posts
Earlier quoted context omitted.
> 2**1000 = 2^1000 The reason for using `**` is that `^` is widely used for bitwise exclusive-or. So commonly `2**1000 != 2^1000`!
I think Fortran used ** because EBCDIC didn't have ^ or uparrow. ABC and Python followed Fortran rather than C on this point. units(1) supports both.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
For anyone else who, like me a moment ago, doesn't know the meaning of ** but is curious: it's how many (but not all) programming languages express "to the power of", aka 2**1000 = 2^1000
> 2**1000 = 2^1000 The reason for using `**` is that `^` is widely used for bitwise exclusive-or. So commonly `2**1000 != 2^1000`!
Nice find. This looks like the best introduction to the language in the repo: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/gvanrossum/abc-unix/refs/h...
Wow 2 * 1000 without rounding errors, 40 years ago this must have been super impressive, since I find that quite a feat of today's python.
Python 3.11.13 (main, Jun 3 2025, 18:38:25) [GCC 14.3.0] on linux
Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
>>> 2**1000
10715086071862673209484250490600018105614048117055336074437503883703510511249361224931983788156958581275946729175531468251871452856923140435984577574698574803934567774824230985421074605062371141877954182153046474983581941267398767559165543946077062914571196477686542167660429831652624386837205668069376
>>> _/2**999
2.0 HOW TO RETURN words document:
PUT {} IN collection
FOR line IN document:
FOR word IN split line:
IF word not.in collection:
INSERT word IN collection
RETURN collection
def words(document):
collection = set()
for line in document:
for word in line.split():
if word not in collection:
collection.add(word)
return collection
ABC uses 225 chars, Python 218 chars. 3% less.
So one could say Python is 3% more efficient than ABC.
Did early linux have this? Maybe netbsd?
I actually found it. It was on simtel: https://archive.org/details/Simtel20_Sept92
I must have gotten it from there. I would routinely get any thing Walnut Creek would make.
I also realized a couple years ago I could navigate EDLIN without help and knew how to use masm. Somehow I had forgotten what I know but my fingers did not.
The first example in the lanuage introduction ( https://homepages.cwi.nl/~steven/abc/ ): HOW TO RETURN words document: PUT {} IN collection FOR line IN document: FOR word IN split line: IF word not.in collection: INSERT word IN collection RETURN collection In Python it would be: def words(document): collection = set() for line in document: for word in line.split(): if word not in collection: collection.add(word) retu…
The first example in the lanuage introduction ( https://homepages.cwi.nl/~steven/abc/ ): HOW TO RETURN words document: PUT {} IN collection FOR line IN document: FOR word IN split line: IF word not.in collection: INSERT word IN collection RETURN collection In Python it would be: def words(document): collection = set() for line in document: for word in line.split(): if word not in collection: collection.add(word) retu…
“HOW TO RETURN” for something as common as “def” is crazy!
public static function words(string $document): array {
I swear I remember using this. I even remember the syntax. I was able to compile it and just start writing in it. I have no idea how I know this syntax. Did early linux have this? Maybe netbsd? I actually found it. It was on simtel: https://archive.org/details/Simtel20_Sept92 I must have gotten it from there. I would routinely get any thing Walnut Creek would make. I also realized a couple years ago I could navigate…
Earlier quoted context omitted.
For anyone else who, like me a moment ago, doesn't know the meaning of ** but is curious: it's how many (but not all) programming languages express "to the power of", aka 2**1000 = 2^1000
> 2**1000 = 2^1000 The reason for using `**` is that `^` is widely used for bitwise exclusive-or. So commonly `2**1000 != 2^1000`!
I swear I remember using this. I even remember the syntax. I was able to compile it and just start writing in it. I have no idea how I know this syntax. Did early linux have this? Maybe netbsd? I actually found it. It was on simtel: https://archive.org/details/Simtel20_Sept92 I must have gotten it from there. I would routinely get any thing Walnut Creek would make. I also realized a couple years ago I could navigate…