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What Is Code?

bloomberg.com

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Re: What Is Code?

#221

Post by guscost »

agentultra wrote: post #159
guscost wrote: post #112

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The trouble is that so much of what we call "programming" is actually the process of identifying all the implicit assumptions that go along with an idea and making them explicit. In other words, if you knew what to ask for in an unambiguous way then most of the "programming" would be done already. I'm working on a longer essay but that's the short version.

This is a driving force behind the pedagogy of SICP -- to think in recursive functions. If you can break down your task into sub-problems and describe them clearly you just have to put a few parenthesis around it. Programming isn't so much about the "code" or syntax; it's semantics and intent aligned with the machine. If you can express your problem clearly then the program practically writes itself.

Sounds like I should sit down with a copy and finally get past the first chapter.

Re: What Is Code?

#223

Post by fragmede »

loganlucid wrote: post #189
irq-1 wrote: post #109

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Remember when search engines had Boolean operators?

Honestly I never heard of search engines working with boolean operators.. I just did a quick search and found this interesting article which gives information about websites using AND, OR, NOT, venn diagrams and concept declarations to deacrease the search node graph....How long ago this search mechanism terminated ???

I... you're trolling, right? Before Google rose to fame, Altavista was probably the most popular, but in order to find what you wanted, you frequently had to add AND, and NOT to your searches, and still needed to dig in a dozen pages in order to find what you were really after. Then Google came along, and the rest of them died.

Re: What Is Code?

#224

Post by aswanson »

acveilleux wrote: post #97
aswanson wrote: post #54

I did not expect this good of an article on this subject from a business publication. Well done.

Time to follow @ftrain on Twitter then.

"C is a simple language, simple like a shotgun that can blow off your foot... Think of C as sort of a plain-spoken grandfather who grew up trapping beavers and served in several wars but can still do 50 pullups." Most certainly.

Re: What Is Code?

#225

Post by glenntzke »

The activity on the article's accompanying github (https://github.com/BloombergMedia/whatiscode) is really interesting. Users have suggested edits not only to the code in the article but even to add citation.

This adds another dimension to the content by including the open source community such that the subject matter (coders) can influence (and improve!) their article's content.

Re: What Is Code?

#226

Post by krupan »

krupan wrote: post #82

I'm glad I came here to read the comments that urged me to read on, because I stopped at the point where the VP was whining that his job was on the line and the software guy's wasn't. Made me a little sick to my stomach. In what company is that ever the case? Even if the VP's job is lost (rare occurrence in my experience), the severance package is more than the software person's salary for a year is.

Hmm, that did come out quite negative. I'm sorry. Personal stress coming through.

Re: What Is Code?

#227

Post by oldmanjay »

anigbrowl wrote: post #206
oldmanjay wrote: post #201

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> You split schools into elementary-middle-high (for no especial reason) then treat it all as 'grade school'. As someone who went to school in the US, no, you're wrong.

Ironically, this sort of dogmatic assertion with no follow-through argument is exactly what I've come to associate with the US educational system. While 'grade school' often refers to elementary school, surely you are aware of people's tendency to talk about 'k-12' education in a lump and the lax academic requirements for substitute teaching in many school districts even at high school level.

I'm sorry, I didn't realize that facts needed more backing

You are simply factually incorrect about your assertion that higher grades are run the same as lower grades. I don't particularly care about your inability to accept that, but I do find it surprising that you would assert your inexperienced viewpoint is correct.

Also your insult was not missed. Thank you for that, it verifies to me that you have nothing of import to say.

Re: What Is Code?

#228

Post by anigbrowl »

oldmanjay wrote: post #227
anigbrowl wrote: post #206

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ironically, this sort of dogmatic assertion with no follow-through argument is exactly what I've come to associate with the US educational system. While 'grade school' often refers to elementary school, surely you are aware of people's tendency to talk about 'k-12' education in a lump and the lax academic requirements for substitute teaching in many school districts even at high school level.

I'm sorry, I didn't realize that facts needed more backing You are simply factually incorrect about your assertion that higher grades are run the same as lower grades. I don't particularly care about your inability to accept that, but I do find it surprising that you would assert your inexperienced viewpoint is correct. Also your insult was not missed. Thank you for that, it verifies to me that you have nothing of im…

At least it prompted you to explain what you meant, which was far from obvious in your first comment.

Re: What Is Code?

#229

Post by dankohn1 »

I hate to sound hyperbolic, but I can't overstate how impressive this work is. For me, it evokes nothing so much as Tracy Kidder's The Soul of A New Machine [0] for opening up an obscure world (the one many HN posters live in, but obscure to most people). I am amazed both by the technical fidelity and by the quality of the story telling.

[0] http://www.amazon.com/Soul-New-Machine-Tracy-Kidder/dp/03164...

Re: What Is Code?

#230

Post by sushirain »

egocodedinsol wrote: post #177

What an ambitious and beautiful piece! A story like this is probably dangerous - it touches on so many ideas everyone will find something to gripe with, and it's hard to make a comprehensive and consistent story. The last time I read something that so awesomely bridged high level abstractions and low-level implementations with a human touch was Godel, Escher, Bach (albeit with a very different feel). Well done.

He does mention a "golden braid forever weaving", which is reminiscent of: "Gödel, Escher, Bach. An Eternal Golden Braid"
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