On Jun 18, 2007, at 10:11 AM, Thomas Hicks wrote:
At 09:56 AM 6/18/2007, you wrote:
On Jun 18, 2007, at 9:45 AM, Thomas Hicks wrote:
Like the one comment said on your web page: depends on your goals.
Actually they just asked why I would want to learn a new language at
all. Which quite honestly is not a good question, I feel that all
programmers should learn new languages - Java isn't going to be
around forever (or rather it isn't going to be top-dog forever,
neither is C#).
I agree with ya.
Ok, I guess here are my goals:
1) Investigate a new language to see what it offers me as a developer
to further my knowledge
2) I have a particular focus on Web development - so any language
that has used its unique features to build a framework I am intensely
interested in
3) To become a better, more well-rounded developer
4) Rule the world
Ok, number 3 is a lie, I don't want to be a more well-rounded
developer ;-).
Right....so Fortress probably won't be high on your list.
Are you just trying to learn more about "synthetic language" (as
opposed
to "natural language")? If so, Scheme, Scala, and Haskell all
embody
some fascinating concepts in language typology.
Hmm not familiar with these two terms sythetic and natural language,
could you explain a little bit more?
Ha....sorry. I just meant programming languages, which are by nature
synthetic. While they share many characteristics with human
("natural")
languages, programming languages are much more regular and
constrained.
That's not to say that they aren't fascinating and I agree with you
that
learning more about them makes us better programmers.
Ah, gotcha. I thought there were two different terms within a
programming language context. As far as natural language goes I've
already picked Japanese (I have a trip planned before my passport
expires).
My favorite: get a version of Scheme with *full* call-with-
current- continuation
support and read about some of the mind-twisting uses of this
construct.
Oh no, not Scheme! ;-). Scheme has crossed my mind from time to time,
but I'm not sure. Convince me! Just kidding, I already have an
inquisitive mind I just want to know where to focus it.
Well, you had Lisp on your list....Scheme is a much more concise and
clean functional programming language which is a descendant of Lisp.
So instead of the 1000+ page Common Lisp book (Guy Steele) we have
the 48 page R5RS (reference) document. Of course, I would not
recommend
learning Lisp or Scheme from either of these documents! If you go down
the Lisp path, let me know and I'll recommend some more friendly docs.
Couldn't remember the relationship between Scheme and Lisp (which was
a superset of which).
-warner
regards,
-tom
-warner
cheers,
-tom
At 07:18 PM 6/17/2007, you wrote:
Hi all,
I've posted up a little thing on my blog about what should be my
next
language, feel free to chime in (there or here).
http://www.warneronstine.com/blog/articles/2007/06/17/next-
language- to-learn
-warner
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Warner Onstine - Programmer/Author
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