6thaccount2

Yes, but dumbed down probably refers more to the capabilities rather than the computing power. Phones are great, but aren't really for real work.

This looks like C with many of the benefits you'd get from something like Python where strings and hashes are really easy with the built-ins methods of dealing with them.

How fast is the alpha version and has any work been made for the GUI/Graphics library?

You can't use a lot of the libraries and still get the runtime exception to where it doesn't have to be released as GPL I think.

I really like the language, but the only compiler I'd trust is the adacore one and I imagine it is pretty pricey for commercial work

Damian Conway is a beast.

It is also a chilling documentary on Prime and probably YouTube. Just to think how close we came to losing part of Arkansas and Tennessee...and then to find out how common this was.

Same

Sounds like a really good policy. Despite what I previously said, some people who have friends that are older seem to get an advantage as if they have enough tests, they might see a familiar problem and generally be aware of the steps to solve it and about how complex it will be without having to reason it out from scratch. This can have a big impact on some exams depending on the professor.

Very true, but a lot of folks (think researchers who have been using Matlab for over a decade) might not have the time or desire to learn Python and rewrite their Matlab code or manage two code bases.

Interesting. At my university it was most certainly fail the course and possibly expulsion.

I'd bet Matlab has more use than you think.

Most engineering students use it, as well as some in math and physics. It is also popular in various aspects of industry (Ex: automotive and aerospace) for prototyping and simulations.

I agree. One issue I find is that many students struggle with the remedial and 101 classes which I honestly think and decent freshman or sophomore in highschool should be able to do. The point is that highschool isn't very successful for many students.

Engineering is a bit different. I found that most of the classes had professors that switched up the problems significantly every year to where old tests didn't help much. Memorization is useless when there are a nearly infinite amount of different circuit problems that can go on the test. You have to actually understand the material and how to apply it in diverse situations. You also typically find that most required classes outside of the math/physics/engineering (Ex: literature and psychology) are pretty simple to ace. I never heard of anyone who had someone write them a paper.

Doesn't Perl6 have a pretty extensive ability to call other languages like Python, Lua, Ruby, C...etc?

Also, there are big differences in the paradigm used. Sure OO is dominant in enterprise software, but there is also functional programming and many others that have a big impact on organization.

I need to pick them up myself. I'm decent in SQL, but still have a ways to go and there are a few times a year where they are critical.

This is my question as well.

Yes and No. Yes in that it is still relatively obscure. I mean there have been plenty of cool Forth systems built, but I'd wager more Python gets built daily than the entirety of Forth code. Does that really matter though? Not really. It isn't a single language or even a family of languages like Lisp (Common Lisp, Racket, Clojure... etc). Rather, Forth is an idea and loose federation of philosophy concerning how to best tie primitives [written in something like Assembly or C (you want a low level language for speed and simplicity), but F#, Common Lisp, Clojure, Python...etc have all been used to write Forths] to code actually written in Forth. There is no traditional compiler and usually not too many data structures outside of the stack which is used for everything. Forth goes for extreme simplicity. There are some commercial vendors and products (SwiftForth, VFXForth, 8th), but the philosophy of Charles Moore was to just write what you need for the project. It was never really meant to be Java.

I always forget about Jonesforth. Glad to see it's on GitHub now!

Does Brodie's book cover implementation though? I can code in Forth a bit already, but want to know more about implementing in a low level language.

I really wish there was a modern book on implementing a useful Forth for x86 or Raspberry PI out of C. Not just a pamphlet either, but a thick book covering how to choose between all the different threading options...etc.

Forth in general is mainly used in situations where one is in close contact with the hardware (Assembly and C are the usual competitors).

It basically lets you string together a bunch of primitives and user defined functions using a stack. It is probably the only system that is useful where a single person can understand the entire language and implementation. You have to build everything yourself though.

To make a counterpoint, a 401k match is very enticing and important. You're literally matching dollar for dollar up to a certain percentage which really adds up the younger you get into it. Starting a 401k at 22 is EXACTLY the right time to do so and waiting 10 years to start could mean you've lost out on a huge chunk of money that can further propel what you put in later.

Granted, you could be the next Google/Facebook... whatever, but the smart odds are generally on the safe company with the better overall package. I bet that company also doesn't require working weekends (something most employees would rather not).

Yea, but the calories in a kg of vegetables is different than the calories in a kilogram of meat right? Or put another way, a hamburger might be the same weight as a plate of veggies and they're calorically quite different.

I agree and say this all the time. As someone who grew up driving in an ancient 60's Volkswagen with well less than 100 HP, I can tell you that we can make small cars with much lower horsepower that also get far better fuel economy.

People then tell me that they think that is stupid and like having the acceleration when getting on the interstate. In all those years, I never found acceleration to be a problem. We've been pitched cars that have way more power than we need and that use way more fuel than we need. Magazines like Car and Driver will write negative editorials if a car isn't "zippy". What should matter is safety, cost, and fuel economy.

In the US' South region, nearly everyone feels the need for a giant truck. It has been engrained as a lifestyle choice. You get your truck to help you haul your four-wheeler for deer hunting and your boat for fishing. However, 90% of these trucks are used by single individuals as daily drivers to office jobs which is extremely wasteful. They even live in suburbs which have to get bigger garages to compensate. Each man's father, grandfather, and great-grandfather drove one too, so it is deeply tied to one's masculinity. The south also has some of the nation's poorest citizens and Mississippi/Alabama/Louisiana/Arkansas have some of the worst elementary and highschools in the nation. It isn't uncommon for folks to get extremely in debt on a $50k lifted 4x4 deisel pickup truck.

This looks seriously cool and partly resembles how I think computation should be in that it is a series of steps that meat together in a data pipeline.

First of all, congrats on finishing up your degree!

As a counterpoint to the above, I believe most highschool students can read the publications of many professors in the liberal arts and understand what they're saying (Ex: literary criticism) although it helps to have some background knowledge of the period in question. How many highschool students or even liberal arts professors can read and comprehend practically anything that someone in the engineering department published? My point is that it takes a lot more effort to get a working knowledge of something like physics. Although not everyone can and should be able to read a quantum mechanics textbook, I think the average adult should know about things like entropy. If you don't agree with STEM, at least change the course requirements so that the technically inclined can get more math and science courses under their belt. Your country may already do that, but it isn't super common in the US (public or private schools). My parents forced me to go to Catholic school growing up (public schools were terrible in my area) and this resulted in mandatory 1-hour of daily religion class for 13 years that I could have used for something else I would've preferred (math, science, engineering, programming, philosophy). Regardless of one's views, I question the sheer breadth of the US system over depth.

While I can't speak for other commenters, I wonder if we aren't speaking past each other a bit.

I don't think anyone should be coerced into a field of study and I'm not sure if the "army" quote from the other poster should be taken literally. I read it as you should make sure society has enough in that basket to maximize welfare for all, but I could be interpreting them poorly.

When I hear arguments for STEM, what I and many others generally mean is that the pie-chart for things studied in school (Math, Language, Literature, History, Geography, PE, Sociology, Science, Art, Religion, Music...etc) should be tweaked a bit to where the Math, Science, and Technology subsections are bigger. If that means reducing the rest of the courses by some small percentage in order to do so, then so be it. Note that I'm not talking about eliminating anything entirely.

Regardless of chosen profession, I can't think of anyone who wouldn't be better off by being more scientifically and mathematically literate. At this point you might ask if the same couldn't be said for other subjects like music and I would disagree. Although all learning and knowledge should generally be considered a blessing, scientific reasoning is a force multiplier. Think of all the ignorance regarding vaccines, climate science...etc.

Engineer here with an anecdotal story. My sibling has a doctorate in liberal arts (teaches at a university and publishes papers) and reads quite a bit and has said similar things on how this aids in critical thinking. They're great in some discussions, but all technology is essentially magic and math is complete gobblegook to this individual. This isn't to say they aren't smart and don't add value to society, but the things this person and many of their colleagues lack (basic numerical literacy) is important and a big part of what separates us from far more primitive cultures over centuries. I understand specialization and how it is vital, but a vast window of the universe is closed off to them.

I think "grotesque" is a little extreme here. Economic edge is certainly an advantage that comes out of constantly producing new technologies which aid humanity. I can understand your concern though as many technologies come with environmental impacts...etc. Another way to view this in a more positive light is that we're also in the midst of a green revolution (wind, solar, energy storage... etc). The more people we have tackling these hard technical problems (transportation, renewable energy generation, fusion, finding an end to cancer, optimizing food production) the better. Of course, this can't come at the expense of our humanity, but providing additional focus on pivotal subjects like mathematics is vital to the human race.