From perl.abe at rjbs.manxome.org Thu Aug 1 08:48:40 2013 From: perl.abe at rjbs.manxome.org (Ricardo Signes) Date: Thu, 1 Aug 2013 11:48:40 -0400 Subject: [ABE.pm] learn a new programming language Message-ID: <20130801154839.GA6558@cancer.codesimply.com> So, I was of late lamenting my failure to learn any new languages for a while, at least beyond the basics. Like, okay, I understand how functions and types and pattern matching and case expressions and stack manipulation and all kinds of basic concepts work in all kinds of basic languages, but I think that of all the languages that I've "learned" in the last few years, I couldn't write a guess the number game in more than one or two, and those are all very big-P-language-like. There are some sites like "code katas" or Project Euler that are meant to be generic exercises for learning languages, but they tend to really favor algorithmic thinking and number crunching. That's cool, but I'd rather figure out how to get work done. I'm glad that I know how to think about efficiency, but I'd also know how to write 10 INPUT GUESS$ and so on, and maybe write a stupid utility program or finger server. Or, so help me, a template engine. 1) Anybody aware of any such list of exercises in "real work"? 2) Anybody want to help make such a list? 3) Anybody feel like trying to solve such problems in some chosen language, to gain slightly more practical skill than those generally offered by the exercises listed in language learning texts? On a closely related note, I had fun organizing a round of Core Wars, and plan to continue doing so, with other "programming games." Fun and educational! https://github.com/rjbs/Code-War-101 -- rjbs -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: application/pgp-signature Size: 490 bytes Desc: Digital signature URL: From perl.abe at rjbs.manxome.org Thu Aug 1 09:19:42 2013 From: perl.abe at rjbs.manxome.org (Ricardo Signes) Date: Thu, 1 Aug 2013 12:19:42 -0400 Subject: [ABE.pm] learn a new programming language In-Reply-To: <20130801154839.GA6558@cancer.codesimply.com> References: <20130801154839.GA6558@cancer.codesimply.com> Message-ID: <20130801161942.GA6703@cancer.codesimply.com> * Ricardo Signes [2013-08-01T11:48:40] > 1) Anybody aware of any such list of exercises in "real work"? I had been discussing this problem, a bit, with Dominus, who suggested Software Tools. Brilliant! (I wanted to add "and obvious," but I didn't think of it, so...) "Software Tools," for those of you who don't know, is a classic text meant to teach better programming by implementing real world programs. It's basically *exactly* what I asked for. I'd feel less dumb if I didn't already have two copies on my shelf: the original (targeting Ratfor) and the later edition for Pascal. Writing that second edition is what led Kernighan to write his famous essay, "Why Pascal is Not My Favorite Programming Language." Someone already ported those programs to Haskell, too, as just such an exercise as I was proposing: http://www.crsr.net/Programming_Languages/SoftwareTools/index.html Clearly there is a meta-task here: a language-agnostic test suite for the Software Tools programs! -- rjbs -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: application/pgp-signature Size: 490 bytes Desc: Digital signature URL: From perl.abe at rjbs.manxome.org Tue Aug 6 15:17:19 2013 From: perl.abe at rjbs.manxome.org (Ricardo Signes) Date: Tue, 6 Aug 2013 18:17:19 -0400 Subject: [ABE.pm] see you Wednesday, August 15 (in 8 days) Message-ID: <20130806221719.GA30219@cancer.codesimply.com> One week from tomorrow, ABE.pm! We agreed that for August, we'd go to Stahley's Cellarette. http://www.yelp.com/biz/stahleys-cellarette-allentown Let's say the usual: 18:00. I will try to get there early, but since it isn't walking distance, I make no promises. I am bursting with things to talk about since last time. My thoughts on trying to learn a new language (and the few I've been playing with, like Forth!) and the results of my first Core Wars game, and this cool new deck of cards I got (check decktet.com), and all kinds of other stuff. See you then. -- rjbs -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: application/pgp-signature Size: 490 bytes Desc: Digital signature URL: From perl.abe at rjbs.manxome.org Wed Aug 14 06:33:23 2013 From: perl.abe at rjbs.manxome.org (Ricardo Signes) Date: Wed, 14 Aug 2013 09:33:23 -0400 Subject: [ABE.pm] see you Wednesday, August 15 (in 8 days) In-Reply-To: <20130806221719.GA30219@cancer.codesimply.com> References: <20130806221719.GA30219@cancer.codesimply.com> Message-ID: <20130814133323.GA7878@cancer.codesimply.com> * Ricardo Signes [2013-08-06T18:17:19] > One week from tomorrow, ABE.pm! No, TODAY! > We agreed that for August, we'd go to Stahley's Cellarette. > > http://www.yelp.com/biz/stahleys-cellarette-allentown \o/ > Let's say the usual: 18:00. I will try to get there early, but since it > isn't walking distance, I make no promises. So, I'm not yet sure how I'm getting there. I might get there way early and do some hacking. Anybody else interested in early arrival? Actually, who all is coming? I'll pick a booth size accordingly. > I am bursting with things to talk about since last time. STILL BURSTING. Here, have a program to print a rhomboid: : STARS 0 DO 42 EMIT LOOP CR ; : \STARS CR 0 DO I 1+ 0 DO 32 EMIT LOOP 10 STARS LOOP CR ; 5 \STARS -- rjbs -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: application/pgp-signature Size: 490 bytes Desc: Digital signature URL: From fiedlert at gmail.com Wed Aug 14 06:48:39 2013 From: fiedlert at gmail.com (Ted Fiedler) Date: Wed, 14 Aug 2013 09:48:39 -0400 Subject: [ABE.pm] see you Wednesday, August 15 (in 8 days) In-Reply-To: <20130814133323.GA7878@cancer.codesimply.com> References: <20130806221719.GA30219@cancer.codesimply.com> <20130814133323.GA7878@cancer.codesimply.com> Message-ID: > > So, I'm not yet sure how I'm getting there. I might get there way early > and do > some hacking. Anybody else interested in early arrival? > > Actually, who all is coming? I'll pick a booth size accordingly. > > I am going to do better than my best to get there. I will know ~ 5 ish if Ill be able to make it. -- "A man who carries a cat by the tail learns something he can learn in no other way." --Mark Twain -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From bduggan at matatu.org Wed Aug 14 08:10:30 2013 From: bduggan at matatu.org (Brian Duggan) Date: Wed, 14 Aug 2013 11:10:30 -0400 Subject: [ABE.pm] see you Wednesday, August 15 (in 8 days) In-Reply-To: References: <20130806221719.GA30219@cancer.codesimply.com> <20130814133323.GA7878@cancer.codesimply.com> Message-ID: <20130814151030.GA17570@matatu.org> On Wednesday, August 14, Ted Fiedler wrote: > > > > So, I'm not yet sure how I'm getting there. I might get there way early > > and do > > some hacking. Anybody else interested in early arrival? > > > > Actually, who all is coming? I'll pick a booth size accordingly. > > > > > I am going to do better than my best to get there. I will know ~ 5 ish if > Ill be able to make it. ********** ********** ********** ********** ********** : IAM ." Heading up "; ok : WHEN ." at five "; ok : WHO ." with Louis "; ok IAM WHEN WHO Heading up at five with Louis ok