4 ms·

Q (post-K) is really fast. However, the arrogance of the language design is really irritating. It's quite enjoyable to write Q as every working line of code mak

Q (post-K) is really fast. However, the arrogance of the language design is really irritating. It's quite enjoyable to write Q as every working line of code makes you feel very clever. That's the biggest problem with it, though. * Disclaimer: I maintained/wrote Q programs for years in a production environment. I'd never choose Q as a production platform again. It's fast but not because it's cleverly written, it's fast because it does not do anything for you.

beagle3 13y ago
It doesn't do much for you, true - but after using K for awhile I came to the conclusion that the vast majority of what other languages give you is not required. Sort of like realizing that a lot of lawyers, finance people and even doctors do not actually provide society at large and even their direct customers any benefit (though having nontrivial cost), and the world would be a better place if there were fewer of them.
- soup10 13y ago
  I came to a similar conclusion when programming using a hex editor and the x86 instruction set manual. Without having to clutter my mind with the abstractions other languages introduce I found I had a ton of free memory to reason about my code and handle much larger portions of code than I usually do. Also, by typing in data directly I avoided having to do the mental translation of thinking about what a compiler or interpreter would do to my code. Additionally, working directly with the data allows plenty of opportunity to write self modifying code to minimize memory usage and optimize program execution to avoid cache misses. I do all my programming in hex editors now and encourage junior developers at my company to do the same.
  - beagle3 13y ago
    I'm sure this was supposed to be funny. But unlike x86 hex coding, people actually get stuff done in k/q - in fact stuff that runs faster and better than equivalent systems in C++ and Java. So the reduction ad absurdum does not, in fact, add to the discussion.
    - soup10 13y ago
      What are you talking about. I assure you we get a lot done at the office doing x86 coding in hex, and even more in MIPS due to the simpler instruction set.
      - beagle3 13y ago
        Can you still find usable MIPS hardware these days? You're probably eschewing keyboards and monitors as well, and program $20 routers by toggling connections on their serial ports.

beagle3 13y ago

It doesn't do much for you, true - but after using K for awhile I came to the conclusion that the vast majority of what other languages give you is not required. Sort of like realizing that a lot of lawyers, finance people and even doctors do not actually provide society at large and even their direct customers any benefit (though having nontrivial cost), and the world would be a better place if there were fewer of them.

soup10 13y ago
I came to a similar conclusion when programming using a hex editor and the x86 instruction set manual. Without having to clutter my mind with the abstractions other languages introduce I found I had a ton of free memory to reason about my code and handle much larger portions of code than I usually do. Also, by typing in data directly I avoided having to do the mental translation of thinking about what a compiler or interpreter would do to my code. Additionally, working directly with the data allows plenty of opportunity to write self modifying code to minimize memory usage and optimize program execution to avoid cache misses. I do all my programming in hex editors now and encourage junior developers at my company to do the same.
- beagle3 13y ago
  I'm sure this was supposed to be funny. But unlike x86 hex coding, people actually get stuff done in k/q - in fact stuff that runs faster and better than equivalent systems in C++ and Java. So the reduction ad absurdum does not, in fact, add to the discussion.
  - soup10 13y ago
    What are you talking about. I assure you we get a lot done at the office doing x86 coding in hex, and even more in MIPS due to the simpler instruction set.
    - beagle3 13y ago
      Can you still find usable MIPS hardware these days? You're probably eschewing keyboards and monitors as well, and program $20 routers by toggling connections on their serial ports.