6 ms·

The BEAM Book (2017)

232 points by hazbo 6y ago

dang 6y ago
If curious see also 2018 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17003897 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17003897 2017 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14061985 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14061985
1234rand1234 6y ago
Is there anything like this for python?
- lytedev 6y ago
  Like the book or like BEAM?
- ssivark 6y ago
  Do you mean a reference describing the CPython runtime system, etc?
- shakna 6y ago
  If you're looking for a book describing the runtime and compiler, etc., maybe "CPython Internals"?
OnACoffeeBreak 6y ago
Back in my day, BEAM was also this https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/BEAM_robotics https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/BEAM_robotics
- Teknoman117 6y ago
  I was going to say the same thing. I read "Junkbots, Bugbots, and Bots on Wheels" years ago when I was getting started in electronics. It's also how Solarbotics got started.
  - kuzee 6y ago
    Incredible book. Got me building simple neural nets out of 74AC240s rather than code before it was cool. Plan to build a 5 motor walker yet this year for old times sake.
    - sitkack 6y ago
      Interesting, I have seen simple neural circuits using opamps but not octal drivers.
- ch4s3 6y ago
  Oh that's neat. But I think the BEAM here was open sourced in about '99 and was developed in the 80s.
- carapace 6y ago
  BEAM the VM seems like a great platform for BEAM the robot design philosophy. :-)
  - cptnapalm 6y ago
    The combination could be "BEAM US" and the output for the service being up or down could be "BEAM US UP" and "BEAM US DOWN".
- wbraun 6y ago
  I clicked on the article thinking it would be that. I got into electronics making little BEAM robot things from salvaged parts. BEAM robotics seems pretty accessible and has an interesting design ethos.
- asjw 6y ago
  They where created more or less in the same "old days" Erlang is from 1986, BEAM from 1991-1992
fouc 6y ago
PDFs of the beam book available here: https://github.com/happi/theBeamBook/releases https://github.com/happi/theBeamBook/releases
- tluyben2 6y ago
  Thanks for that. For books, I almost never want html and definitely not multiple pages (this one is ok, works well in Pocket).
deleted 6y ago
[deleted]
oftenwrong 6y ago
A bit off-topic: Is there an overview of OTP's design and usage patterns that assumes the reader has minimal Erlang knowledge? I have no Erlang experience, but I am interested in what makes OTP so revered.
- conradfr 6y ago
  Maybe https://ferd.ca/the-zen-of-erlang.html https://ferd.ca/the-zen-of-erlang.html Or this kind of fun video https://youtu.be/JvBT4XBdoUE https://youtu.be/JvBT4XBdoUE
  - codemonkey-zeta 6y ago
    Thanks for sharing. I found the second video to be very entertaining as someone who hasn't seen a lot of Erlang in action. At 32:38 in the video he mentions some issues that plague BEAM which cause some engineers to eschew its use in production. Do you know what issues he could be referring to?
    - conradfr 6y ago
      Actually yes he detailed it a bit here https://www.reddit.com/r/elixir/comments/bronlx/discover_what_makes_beam_languages_such_as_erlang/eohwr3r/ https://www.reddit.com/r/elixir/comments/bronlx/discover_wha...
- rkangel 6y ago
  It doesn't provide much detail but "Erlang: The Movie" is definitely worth a watch. It's only 10 minutes long, made by the creators, and is very 80s.
DoctorOetker 6y ago
please put Erlang somewhere in the title, theres so many titles I click because the title isn't descriptive enough and I don't want to miss out in case it happens to be a subject of interest. I don't have a problem with Erlang, but it feels like unintentional clickbait if the title fails to convey what a reader may expect.

232 points by hazbo 6y ago

dang 6y ago

If curious see also 2018 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17003897 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17003897 2017 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14061985 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14061985

1234rand1234 6y ago

Is there anything like this for python?

lytedev 6y ago
Like the book or like BEAM?
ssivark 6y ago
Do you mean a reference describing the CPython runtime system, etc?
shakna 6y ago
If you're looking for a book describing the runtime and compiler, etc., maybe "CPython Internals"?

OnACoffeeBreak 6y ago

Back in my day, BEAM was also this https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/BEAM_robotics https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/BEAM_robotics

Teknoman117 6y ago
I was going to say the same thing. I read "Junkbots, Bugbots, and Bots on Wheels" years ago when I was getting started in electronics. It's also how Solarbotics got started.
- kuzee 6y ago
  Incredible book. Got me building simple neural nets out of 74AC240s rather than code before it was cool. Plan to build a 5 motor walker yet this year for old times sake.
  - sitkack 6y ago
    Interesting, I have seen simple neural circuits using opamps but not octal drivers.
ch4s3 6y ago
Oh that's neat. But I think the BEAM here was open sourced in about '99 and was developed in the 80s.
carapace 6y ago
BEAM the VM seems like a great platform for BEAM the robot design philosophy. :-)
- cptnapalm 6y ago
  The combination could be "BEAM US" and the output for the service being up or down could be "BEAM US UP" and "BEAM US DOWN".
wbraun 6y ago
I clicked on the article thinking it would be that. I got into electronics making little BEAM robot things from salvaged parts. BEAM robotics seems pretty accessible and has an interesting design ethos.
asjw 6y ago
They where created more or less in the same "old days" Erlang is from 1986, BEAM from 1991-1992

fouc 6y ago

PDFs of the beam book available here: https://github.com/happi/theBeamBook/releases https://github.com/happi/theBeamBook/releases

tluyben2 6y ago
Thanks for that. For books, I almost never want html and definitely not multiple pages (this one is ok, works well in Pocket).

deleted 6y ago

[deleted]

oftenwrong 6y ago

A bit off-topic: Is there an overview of OTP's design and usage patterns that assumes the reader has minimal Erlang knowledge? I have no Erlang experience, but I am interested in what makes OTP so revered.

conradfr 6y ago
Maybe https://ferd.ca/the-zen-of-erlang.html https://ferd.ca/the-zen-of-erlang.html Or this kind of fun video https://youtu.be/JvBT4XBdoUE https://youtu.be/JvBT4XBdoUE
- codemonkey-zeta 6y ago
  Thanks for sharing. I found the second video to be very entertaining as someone who hasn't seen a lot of Erlang in action. At 32:38 in the video he mentions some issues that plague BEAM which cause some engineers to eschew its use in production. Do you know what issues he could be referring to?
  - conradfr 6y ago
    Actually yes he detailed it a bit here https://www.reddit.com/r/elixir/comments/bronlx/discover_what_makes_beam_languages_such_as_erlang/eohwr3r/ https://www.reddit.com/r/elixir/comments/bronlx/discover_wha...
rkangel 6y ago
It doesn't provide much detail but "Erlang: The Movie" is definitely worth a watch. It's only 10 minutes long, made by the creators, and is very 80s.

DoctorOetker 6y ago

please put Erlang somewhere in the title, theres so many titles I click because the title isn't descriptive enough and I don't want to miss out in case it happens to be a subject of interest. I don't have a problem with Erlang, but it feels like unintentional clickbait if the title fails to convey what a reader may expect.