4 ms·

It is a sieve. No one claimed it was the Sieve or Eratosthenes.

ColinWright 11y ago
Interestingly, if you look closely you'll notice that I never claimed that this referenced code was the Sieve of Eratosthenes. It seems you just assumed that I thought it was claiming to be, when in fact I know it isn't. And that's the problem. I've found that when this code is presented people often assume it's intended to be the Sieve of Eratosthenes, and nothing is done to preempt or prevent that misconception. As observed elsewhere, there are now several major threads, discussions, and even proper papers about this, so people are becoming aware of it. I still meet programmers who think the version shown is intended to be the Sieve of Eratosthenes. Fortunately I now have several on-line references to point them at.
- jamesrom 11y ago
  If you look closely I never claimed you thought it was...
  - ColinWright 11y ago
    OK, so let's try to be clear about this. In my experience, that code, pretty much exactly as presented on that page, has, in the past, been called the Sieve of Eratosthenes. You and I both know that it isn't, but I, for certain, know that there have been occasions when it has been claimed to be. Currently, the version as presented on the Haskell page does not claim that it is the Sieve of Eratosthenes. However, given its history, some people, and in my opinion quite reasonably, will believe that it is, or is intended to be, the Sieve of Eratosthenes. In my opinion, the people who look after the Haskell page should know that, and should have something there to preempt that mistaken belief. To do so would help to increase people's knowledge. If done well, I doubt that it would hurt, and it might actually help to increase people's curiosity about Haskell. Edit: Just wanted to add that I've up-voted your comments, because they're true, and they've made me re-evaluate a few things. Thanks.
  - ColinWright 11y ago
    Look, someone else claiming that a routine is the Sieve or Eratosthenes when in fact it isn't: http://elalang.net/ http://elalang.net/ https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9554663 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9554663

Interestingly, if you look closely you'll notice that I never claimed that this referenced code was the Sieve of Eratosthenes. It seems you just assumed that I thought it was claiming to be, when in fact I know it isn't. And that's the problem. I've found that when this code is presented people often assume it's intended to be the Sieve of Eratosthenes, and nothing is done to preempt or prevent that misconception. As observed elsewhere, there are now several major threads, discussions, and even proper papers about this, so people are becoming aware of it. I still meet programmers who think the version shown is intended to be the Sieve of Eratosthenes. Fortunately I now have several on-line references to point them at.

jamesrom 11y ago
If you look closely I never claimed you thought it was...
- ColinWright 11y ago
  OK, so let's try to be clear about this. In my experience, that code, pretty much exactly as presented on that page, has, in the past, been called the Sieve of Eratosthenes. You and I both know that it isn't, but I, for certain, know that there have been occasions when it has been claimed to be. Currently, the version as presented on the Haskell page does not claim that it is the Sieve of Eratosthenes. However, given its history, some people, and in my opinion quite reasonably, will believe that it is, or is intended to be, the Sieve of Eratosthenes. In my opinion, the people who look after the Haskell page should know that, and should have something there to preempt that mistaken belief. To do so would help to increase people's knowledge. If done well, I doubt that it would hurt, and it might actually help to increase people's curiosity about Haskell. Edit: Just wanted to add that I've up-voted your comments, because they're true, and they've made me re-evaluate a few things. Thanks.
- ColinWright 11y ago
  Look, someone else claiming that a routine is the Sieve or Eratosthenes when in fact it isn't: http://elalang.net/ http://elalang.net/ https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9554663 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9554663