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Why is seeing the syntax of a programming language so interesting? I think that syntax is one of the least interesting aspects of a programming language.

deleted 5y ago
[deleted]
gigatexal 5y ago
It’s actually the opposite: one will be writing that syntax when using the language if it’s a chore to write then nobody will want to use the language. Also it’s easier to understand what a language is doing looking at code than a technical document.
spicybright 5y ago
I can't find any code that highlights the main feature of the language. Only example programs like hello world, arithmetic, etc. which are fairly useless.
- moron4hire 5y ago
  This seems to be their main hook that differentiates the language: http://skiplang.com/docs/lvalues.html http://skiplang.com/docs/lvalues.html. Otherwise, it looks basically like TypeScript with some of the keywords renamed.
stirfish 5y ago
It's nice to be able to see what a new language is able to express easily. Have you ever browsed Rosetta Code? I find syntax interesting because it shapes how a language is used. https://rosettacode.org/wiki/Rosetta_Code https://rosettacode.org/wiki/Rosetta_Code
postalrat 5y ago
Syntax interesting I is a aspects think so the language. Is language the of why seeing programming of of programming a syntax one interesting? Least that
zem 5y ago
it's the user interface of a language. you could as well say that screenshots are the least interesting thing about a gui app and what it can do is more important, but people want to see the screenshots anyway!
hota_mazi 5y ago
This is like saying that you prefer to read the description of a new car instead of seeing the car itself.
davidgtl 5y ago
It's not about syntax, it's about quickly seeing language choices and verbosity of various constructs. There is a lot more information in a good example rather than a front page feature list.
moron4hire 5y ago
Well, one particular thing we'd see if there were a meaningful example on the home page is that Skip doesn't use a keyword to declare new symbols, opting instead declaration being conflated with first-assignment. http://skiplang.com/docs/functions.html#variables http://skiplang.com/docs/functions.html#variables Misspelled variable assignments will silently succeed, rather than error because the symbol doesn't exist. I think that's a massive mistake and it speaks to a relative lack of large project development on behalf of the Skip designers. So, I guess, in a backwards way, it's better for them to hide their syntax away from the home page, because I wouldn't have spent as much time on the site if I had seen that right away. "Time on site" metric improved, but to no meaningful result. Also, in the year 2022, the site does not have a TLS certificate.
rco8786 5y ago
It's like viewing the floorplan of a house vs a written description of the floorplan. The latter is verbose, long, wordy and ultimately cannot paint a picture as accurate as just showing the floorplan.

deleted 5y ago

[deleted]

gigatexal 5y ago

It’s actually the opposite: one will be writing that syntax when using the language if it’s a chore to write then nobody will want to use the language. Also it’s easier to understand what a language is doing looking at code than a technical document.

spicybright 5y ago

I can't find any code that highlights the main feature of the language. Only example programs like hello world, arithmetic, etc. which are fairly useless.

moron4hire 5y ago
This seems to be their main hook that differentiates the language: http://skiplang.com/docs/lvalues.html http://skiplang.com/docs/lvalues.html. Otherwise, it looks basically like TypeScript with some of the keywords renamed.

stirfish 5y ago

It's nice to be able to see what a new language is able to express easily. Have you ever browsed Rosetta Code? I find syntax interesting because it shapes how a language is used. https://rosettacode.org/wiki/Rosetta_Code https://rosettacode.org/wiki/Rosetta_Code

postalrat 5y ago

Syntax interesting I is a aspects think so the language. Is language the of why seeing programming of of programming a syntax one interesting? Least that

zem 5y ago

it's the user interface of a language. you could as well say that screenshots are the least interesting thing about a gui app and what it can do is more important, but people want to see the screenshots anyway!

hota_mazi 5y ago

This is like saying that you prefer to read the description of a new car instead of seeing the car itself.

davidgtl 5y ago

It's not about syntax, it's about quickly seeing language choices and verbosity of various constructs. There is a lot more information in a good example rather than a front page feature list.

moron4hire 5y ago

Well, one particular thing we'd see if there were a meaningful example on the home page is that Skip doesn't use a keyword to declare new symbols, opting instead declaration being conflated with first-assignment. http://skiplang.com/docs/functions.html#variables http://skiplang.com/docs/functions.html#variables Misspelled variable assignments will silently succeed, rather than error because the symbol doesn't exist. I think that's a massive mistake and it speaks to a relative lack of large project development on behalf of the Skip designers. So, I guess, in a backwards way, it's better for them to hide their syntax away from the home page, because I wouldn't have spent as much time on the site if I had seen that right away. "Time on site" metric improved, but to no meaningful result. Also, in the year 2022, the site does not have a TLS certificate.

rco8786 5y ago

It's like viewing the floorplan of a house vs a written description of the floorplan. The latter is verbose, long, wordy and ultimately cannot paint a picture as accurate as just showing the floorplan.