Analysis vs Algebra predicts eating corn? (2010)

bentilly.blogspot.com

31 points·coldtea··8 comments

Here's the comments from last time this article was posted:

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4368858

(I'm not saying it shouldn't be posted again, I just thought people might want to see the prior discussion)

Aww. I missed it. I'm not a mathematician, but did a BA Math. Algebra. Rows. However, vi for life. And I like Perl and Lisp. Lately I've grown to accept those fingernail clippings in my oatmeal.

Analysis, but of course have to know my algebra for what I do. I definitely prefer analysis.

Don't eat corn, use vim, program mainly with Haskell and C.

It's hard to describe the differences between algebraists and analysts. For example when I look at a polynomial I see a "function as set of ordered pairs" which has some special smoothness properties and some great approximation theory. When an algebraist looks at a polynomial they see a symbolic object, more akin to the "function as a rule." Maybe this is why algebra is so popular amongst other functional programmers.

It's something that wouldn't be hard to test: just take a few polls at the prominent algebra/analysis conferences.

Algebraicist, but I eat corn in discrete rings. Or just cut off the kernels with a knife.

Wow. I much prefer algebra, and it never even occurred to me to eat corn in a spiral.

On the other hand, I'm a Lisp guy, and I use vim.

Magazine quizzes for nerds.

Algebra & rows here. :-)

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