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Just to be sure, this was about using TeX, not LaTeX. The relationship between them is much like Ruby and Rails: LaTeX is a package of macros that operate on the TeX programming language.

TeX is an enjoyable language for programming--it's something like writing in lambda calculus. It's too bad most people don't realize it's a complete language. I use it all the time for generating automated documents and such.

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I don't understand how a language designed for document programming can be a good choice for controlling a rover..

Is it a joke, is he really serious about this?

Both: He's not seriously proposing that TeX is a good choice for the task, but he was serious about accomplishing the task, and he managed to turn it into a paper for publication.

In this case "controlling a rover" was the task of the 2008 ICFP programming contest, and he thought it would be "interesting" to write an entry using TeX. While he wasn't the highest scoring entry, he won the judges' prize for his unusual approach.

A more practical explanation of the project, from his blog: http://sdh33b.blogspot.com/2008/07/icfp-contest-2008.html

It's a joke that he took seriously enough to actually program a mars rover in TeX. I am both amused and awed.

Corrected the title.

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