[wmii] Re: 10kloc project, wmii maintainer change

From: Julian Stecklina <der_julian_AT_web.de>
Date: Sun, 23 Jul 2006 16:18:52 +0200

"Anselm R. Garbe" <arg_AT_10kloc.org> writes:

> I doubt that I can do fewer data abstraction with C than with
> any other language. What can't I do with C, but with another
> language?

Search for the Blubb Paradox in http://www.paulgraham.com/avg.html. To
quote the relevant part for the lazy:

<< As long as our hypothetical Blub programmer is looking down the power
continuum, he knows he's looking down. Languages less powerful than Blub
are obviously less powerful, because they're missing some feature he's
used to. But when our hypothetical Blub programmer looks in the other
direction, up the power continuum, he doesn't realize he's looking
up. What he sees are merely weird languages. He probably considers them
about equivalent in power to Blub, but with all this other hairy stuff
thrown in as well. Blub is good enough for him, because he thinks in
Blub. >>

You can do all sorts of things in languages other than C! You have to
give them a try, though. As an example: Of course, you can write a good
compiler in C, but perhaps it is _way_ easier to that in SML (MLton!) or
Common Lisp or in any other language that does not totally suck
regarding mildly complex datastructures (dags, trees, lists).

Regards,

-- 
Julian Stecklina
C has all the expressive power of two dixie cups and a string.
(Jamie Zawinski)
Received on Sun Jul 23 2006 - 16:19:20 UTC

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