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Writing a book is a linear process. You have a start and an end. But a Lisp program (for instance) has multiple paths to its goal, so it makes more sense using

by zandorg 18y ago

Writing a book is a linear process. You have a start and an end. But a Lisp program (for instance) has multiple paths to its goal, so it makes more sense using non-linear tools when writing Lisp software.

byrneseyeview 18y ago
Writing a program is a linear process. You have an input and an output. But a novel (for instance) has multiple paths and plotlines, towards an indefinite goal, with the possibility of sequels, prequels, side-plots, and other ancillary matters, all of which can contradict one another in unpredictable ways -- and your debugger is an obsessed adolescent fan emailing you at 3 AM or asking about that musical mixup in 2F09.
- william42 18y ago
  You must have never written any GUI code.
  - omouse 18y ago
    That has inputs and outputs as well, though there is an input-waiting process (which doesn't matter when you're modeling/designing the GUI).
- tokipin 18y ago
  i don't see the difference. there is input and output in writing a novel too if you want to trivialize it like that. and programs have multiple execution paths, both potential and actual, and can have successive versions as well (e.g. CorelDraw 10.) choices made at some point can affect decisions later on. and it's likely actual humans will use your program
aspirant 18y ago
Reading a book is a linear process. Writing may be anything but, especially with fiction. I have never exactly 'made' a story. With me the process is much more like bird-watching than like either talking or building. I see pictures. Some of these pictures have a common flavor, almost a common smell, which groups them together. Keep quiet and watch and they will begin joining themselves up. If you were very lucky (I have never been as lucky as all that) a whole set might join themselves so consistently that there you had a complete story: without doing anything yourself. But more often (in my experience always) there are gaps. Then at last you have to do some deliberate inventing, have to contrive reasons why these characters should be in these various places doing these various things. I have no idea whether this is the usual way of writing stories, still less whether it is the best. It is the only one I know: images always come first. -CSL

by zandorg 18y ago

byrneseyeview 18y ago

Writing a program is a linear process. You have an input and an output. But a novel (for instance) has multiple paths and plotlines, towards an indefinite goal, with the possibility of sequels, prequels, side-plots, and other ancillary matters, all of which can contradict one another in unpredictable ways -- and your debugger is an obsessed adolescent fan emailing you at 3 AM or asking about that musical mixup in 2F09.

william42 18y ago
You must have never written any GUI code.
- omouse 18y ago
  That has inputs and outputs as well, though there is an input-waiting process (which doesn't matter when you're modeling/designing the GUI).
tokipin 18y ago
i don't see the difference. there is input and output in writing a novel too if you want to trivialize it like that. and programs have multiple execution paths, both potential and actual, and can have successive versions as well (e.g. CorelDraw 10.) choices made at some point can affect decisions later on. and it's likely actual humans will use your program

aspirant 18y ago

Reading a book is a linear process. Writing may be anything but, especially with fiction. I have never exactly 'made' a story. With me the process is much more like bird-watching than like either talking or building. I see pictures. Some of these pictures have a common flavor, almost a common smell, which groups them together. Keep quiet and watch and they will begin joining themselves up. If you were very lucky (I have never been as lucky as all that) a whole set might join themselves so consistently that there you had a complete story: without doing anything yourself. But more often (in my experience always) there are gaps. Then at last you have to do some deliberate inventing, have to contrive reasons why these characters should be in these various places doing these various things. I have no idea whether this is the usual way of writing stories, still less whether it is the best. It is the only one I know: images always come first. -CSL