The Threats to Computing Science (1984)
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The Threats to Computing Science (1984)
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Re: The Threats to Computing Science (1984)
#2Not getting lost in the complexities of our own making and preferably reaching that goal by learning how to avoid the introduction of those complexities in the first place, that is the key challenge computing science has to meet.
Nowadays machines are so fast and stores are so huge that in a very true sense the computations we can evoke defy our imagination. Machine capacities now give us room galore for making a mess of it
If only Dijkstra was around today... those thoughts were extremely prescient. I've seen far more overly complex and abstracted code than "too simple" code.
Re: The Threats to Computing Science (1984)
#3This is an EWD from 1984. I thought it was the current threats to CS at UT Austin, that Scott Aaronson has been posting about.
Re: The Threats to Computing Science (1984)
#4This is an EWD from 1984. I thought it was the current threats to CS at UT Austin, that Scott Aaronson has been posting about.
Link for those out of the loop?
Re: The Threats to Computing Science (1984)
#5This is an EWD from 1984. I thought it was the current threats to CS at UT Austin, that Scott Aaronson has been posting about.
Link for those out of the loop?
I was thinking of this: https://scottaaronson.blog/?p=5807
Aaronson seems happier or at least more composed now, though. A few months have gone by since that post.
Re: The Threats to Computing Science (1984)
#6Inspired by EWD I have started translating all my (two) papers in my native language, Greek, and as hand-written manuscripts. It is slow going however because the illuminations take so much time and I keep running out of gold ink.
Btw, does anyone know of a good, cheap source of fresh parchment?
(:P)
Re: The Threats to Computing Science (1984)
#7If read in its proper context, instead of misinterpreting it by thinking it's talking about concerns people have today, wasn't Dijkstra in favour of a very aggressive use of formal methods in programming? This is something quite different to what modern programmers or "computer scientists" are used to. I have a feeling that people don't really understand what Dijkstra was advocating.
His advocacy could be considered quite extreme. He apparently suggested (I don't know whether jokingly or not) that programmers not test their code, and instead write it on paper with various kinds of mathematical correctness proofs, and only then type it on a computer. It's admittedly thought provoking but I have an uncomfortable feeling that some naive people might have followed his advice very literally, and off a cliff.
Generally, I think people should read writing from decades ago in its proper context.
Re: The Threats to Computing Science (1984)
#8If read in its proper context, instead of misinterpreting it by thinking it's talking about concerns people have today, wasn't Dijkstra in favour of a very aggressive use of formal methods in programming? This is something quite different to what modern programmers or "computer scientists" are used to. I have a feeling that people don't really understand what Dijkstra was advocating. His advocacy could be considered…
Yes, Dijkstra was an idealist. But sometimes that's exactly what the world needs. We are drowning in complexity.
Re: The Threats to Computing Science (1984)
#9If read in its proper context, instead of misinterpreting it by thinking it's talking about concerns people have today, wasn't Dijkstra in favour of a very aggressive use of formal methods in programming? This is something quite different to what modern programmers or "computer scientists" are used to. I have a feeling that people don't really understand what Dijkstra was advocating. His advocacy could be considered…
Yes, Dijkstra was an idealist. But sometimes that's exactly what the world needs. We are drowning in complexity.
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