in reply to Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: don't { use Perl }
in thread don't { use Perl }

A programming language's purpose is to facilitate speaking to machines.

A programming language's purpose is not to "facilitate speaking to machines" as you state. I can speak to machines much easier in English, and often do even if some the words I speak may not be found in most English dictionaries :-P The purpose of a programming language is to facilitate writing instructions that control a machine, the machine is never a "listener" in any sensible application of the word. Why do we construct higher level programming languages? So that we can express those instructions in higher level terms and expressions that make more sense to *us*. We are the audience.

  • Comment on Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: don't { use Perl }

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:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:> don't { use Perl }
by ignatz (Vicar) on Jun 11, 2002 at 00:18 UTC
    Great, I've reduced you to lame-assed semantic arguments. Here, let me missspel some werds so taht yuu can critigue my spelink to. The moment that ANY discussion between ANY two humans about getting computers to do anything is carried on in a programming language is the moment you'll have me sold. 
    #!/usr/bin/perl
print "This is a dumb argument.\n";
while(1) {
    print "No it's not!\n";
    print "Yes it is!\n";
}

    [download]
    ()-()
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[d/l]

      If a may interject for a moment ...... wouldn't a debate about language almost always involve lame-assed semantic arguments ...... on both sides ...... almost by definition? And both sides always think the ass is lamer on the other side.

[reply]
        touché 
        ()-()
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  `
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