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"> I think all of ML being in Python is a colossal mistake that we'll pay for for years. Market pressure. Early ML frameworks were in Lisp, then eventually Lua
by rahen 9mo ago
"> I think all of ML being in Python is a colossal mistake that we'll pay for for years.
Market pressure. Early ML frameworks were in Lisp, then eventually Lua with Torch, but demand dictated the choice of Python because "it's simple" even if the result is cobbled together.
Lisp is arguably still the most suitable language for neural networks for a lot of reasons beyond the scope of this post, but the tooling is missing. I’m developing such a framework right now, though I have no illusions that many will adopt it. Python may not be elegant or efficient, but it's simple, and that's what people want.
- Joker_vD 9mo agoGee, I wonder why the tooling for ML in Lisp is missing even though the early ML frameworks were in Lisp. Perhaps there is something about the language that stifles truly wide collaboration?
- rahen 9mo agoI doubt it considering there are massive Clojure codebases with large teams collaborating on them every day. The lack of Lisp tooling and the prevalence of Python are more a result of inertia, low barrier to entry and ecosystem lock-in.
- wild_egg 9mo agoWhat sort of tooling is missing in Lisp? I'd love to check out your framework if you've shared it somewhere
- rahen 9mo agoLisp isn't missing anything, it's a natural fit for AI/ML. It’s the ecosystem's tooling that needs catching up. The code hasn't reached RC yet, but I'll definitely post a Show HN once it's ready for a preview.