You are not supposed to read programs aloud. What do you think it is, poetry? 'f...

antocv · on Sept 12, 2014

Well yeah, it should be poetry.

Instead of, what, cryptic symbols to decipher?

You dont read symbols?

mercurial · on Sept 12, 2014

You should try Haskell for size before complaining about Rust. IMHO, it's really a matter of taste, and something which most people get over with quickly if they find it an issue. Actual semantics are much more important than a small number of language keywords. Libraries, on the other hand, should definitely use easy-to-understand symbols.

Vanzetti · on Sept 12, 2014

I know that 'fn' defines a function. It could be 'def', 'funct' or 'Ξ', it doesn't really matter.

Also, what's the problem with pronouncing 'fn' as 'ef-en'?

bsdshepherd · on Sept 12, 2014

> It could be ... Ξ

Thank you.

Somewhere, a transliteration vim plugin is struggling to escape. Based on user preferences it will display:

  def Σ():
      print("LOL WUT?")

  Σ()

-or-

  define sum():
      print("LOL WUT?")

  sum()

-or-

   Ξ Σ
      ⍋("LOL WUT?")

   Σ

-or even-

   IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.
   PROGRAM-ID.  Abomination.

   PROCEDURE DIVISION.
   DisplaySummary.
       DISPLAY "LOL WUT".
       STOP RUN.

mercurial · on Sept 12, 2014

You already have the 'conceal' feature in vim, which in vim2hs is used to replace \_ with a λ_. No need for plugins. I think the vim Rust plugin has support for it, but you need to set an option.

antocv · on Sept 12, 2014

Yes, exactly, we can make translations of symbols so that it is actually easier for human readers to decode the meaning and message of the symbols. Perhaps we could even reuse previous symbols and meanings to convey what we want to convey instead of offering ambiguity.

I just wonder, who would have thought of such an idea. That is genious. And something that has completely evaded Rust designers.

bsdshepherd · on Sept 12, 2014

> Perhaps we could even reuse previous symbols

You do. The symbol is given meaning by context.

> who would have thought of such an idea.

That would be me.

> genius

Weed, caffeine, and sleep deprivation. Staring at Harris mainframe assembly language core dumps on reams of green bar paper... does things to a man. ;-)

HTML5 and Unicode are wonderful toys. Go play. My notes and early efforts on this go back to 1979. Anyone is welcome to them. It does take quite a bit of effort to transmit, so patience is a virtue here.

(P.S. Don't overlook color.)

(P.P.S. Or animation.)

---

Edit: You'd be surprised how easy input becomes. It removes a huge mental load from context switching (e.g. hitting the same button to get Control F4, Control W, Apple W, Alt F Alt C, etc.).

Use a few touchpads which can change the symbols based on current context, and baby - you got a stew goin'.

Take care.

joshmarinacci · on Sept 15, 2014

I've been working on similar stuff here: http://joshondesign.com/2014/08/22/typopl

joshmarinacci · on Sept 15, 2014

Wait. Who are you? I'd love to see you notes on this stuff from the 70s and 80s.

bsdshepherd · on Sept 12, 2014

> And something that has completely evaded Rust designers.

“If you've been playing poker for half an hour and you still don't know who the patsy is, you're the patsy.” - Warren J. "Doc" Gates

Programmers are the patsy that businesses and universities use to keep growing ever larger heads of broccoli that consumers eat.

Note the similarities between GUI's 30 years ago and today: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_graphical_user_i....

Try to wrap your head around how many API's, tools, training materials, releases, updates and so forth have been done in thirty years which are effectively redundant.

The iWatch will contain regurgitations of the same todo lists, logging, sticky notes, etc. as the Palm Pilot, but without AAA batteries.