5 ms·
Lisp is too complicated. For years I used to say, "I'm keeping a bank of brain cells free for learning Lisp one day." I knew it was important, I knew one day
by carapace 6y ago
Lisp is too complicated.
For years I used to say, "I'm keeping a bank of brain cells free for learning Lisp one day." I knew it was important, I knew one day I would sit down and learn Lisp. Eventually, that day came. As it happened, I chose PG's book to start with, and (as is my wont) I began with the Table of Contents. That's as far as I got. Somehow, in the years leading up to that moment, I had acquired the necessary background information to be able to "get" Lisp just from reading that ToC. My mind was blown. Here was the perfect, the complete, the only needful language. And then I got mad. I got mad at you and me and all our peers. For wasting time. For wasting attention. For fucking around with syntax and bullshit for fwcking decades when we had Lisp. All the time and energy and money, burned like so much trash, because not Lisp.
So did I start using Lisp? No, of course not. Python pays (paid) the bills. Sick world.
- - - -
Anyway, in the meantime, I discovered a language called Joy. I'm pretty sure it's the simplest useful language. It is a point-free form that's good for Categorical Programming. It's not based on Lambda Calculus so there are no variables, no binding environments. You can do algebra on it and it's easier than Squiggol ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bird%E2%80%93Meertens_formalism https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bird%E2%80%93Meertens_formalis... ).
I was messing around with Make-a-Lisp the other day but I didn't get very far because, as I say, Lisp is too complicated (not to understand, to implement. It's a PITA.) Joy is simpler. The syntax is trivial, the grammar is trivial, the interpreter is simple, it's just a beautiful elegant formal system.
To be clear, I'm not complaining about Lisp, I think Lisp is the best language (Except for Joy, which is even better, IMO.)
- csb6 6y ago> Somehow, in the years leading up to that moment, I had acquired the necessary background information to be able to "get" Lisp just from reading that ToC. Damn, you are a genius! As for myself, I can only gain this level of understanding by skimming the index (or maybe the appendices). ;)