In my opinion, the big problem is actually not so much the programming paradigms, but the openness of software to customization and to meta-programming. Radically-refactored open-source software would probably do most of what I want. But ideally you wouldn't NEED to refactor things: it would be EASIER to be program in a nice, modular way.
Human software uses multiple, diverse representations. Programming would be much easier in a language that would naturally embody these representations, but such a language cannot be neat. Languages choose neatness and thus limit the freedom of the programmer. Extrapolating from the general principle I stated about software users, this limitation is probably good for the beginning programmer (there's only so many structures to learn), but bad for the expert.
So, do we need programming languages which are self-extensible? If so, how? IP, not being a programming language itself, seems to suggest a different approach.
I have a disclaimer too: read my ideas for what they're worth. They may be completely wrong and worthless.
Perhaps you can show me what you're doing and we can collaborate through IM?
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krja
continuation...
Date: 2003-12-16 04:07 pm (UTC)Human software uses multiple, diverse representations. Programming would be much easier in a language that would naturally embody these representations, but such a language cannot be neat. Languages choose neatness and thus limit the freedom of the programmer. Extrapolating from the general principle I stated about software users, this limitation is probably good for the beginning programmer (there's only so many structures to learn), but bad for the expert.
So, do we need programming languages which are self-extensible? If so, how? IP, not being a programming language itself, seems to suggest a different approach.
I have a disclaimer too: read my ideas for what they're worth. They may be completely wrong and worthless.
Perhaps you can show me what you're doing and we can collaborate through IM?