Comments on: Just an observation http://blog.tmorris.net/just-an-observation/ The weblog of Tony Morris Thu, 20 Nov 2008 00:19:24 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Michael Chermside http://blog.tmorris.net/just-an-observation/#comment-2389 Michael Chermside Thu, 24 Jul 2008 17:24:44 +0000 http://blog.tmorris.net/just-an-observation/#comment-2389 > they stop caring about identifier names. I don't stop CARING, I just stop using them. I think one of the big weaknesses of Excel as a coding environment is the inability to abstract things like names for the cells or for a formula. (Technically, it's possible but difficult... in the end we don't do it, so it comes down to the same thing.) > they stop caring about identifier names.

I don’t stop CARING, I just stop using them. I think one of the big weaknesses of Excel as a coding environment is the inability to abstract things like names for the cells or for a formula. (Technically, it’s possible but difficult… in the end we don’t do it, so it comes down to the same thing.)

]]> By: zproxy http://blog.tmorris.net/just-an-observation/#comment-2388 zproxy Wed, 09 Jul 2008 12:50:24 +0000 http://blog.tmorris.net/just-an-observation/#comment-2388 For me if the function is small enough, using a single letter for a variable name is more of a convenience. The types of the variables reveal the actual meaning. For me if the function is small enough, using a single letter for a variable name is more of a convenience.

The types of the variables reveal the actual meaning.

]]> By: Daniel Spiewak http://blog.tmorris.net/just-an-observation/#comment-2387 Daniel Spiewak Mon, 07 Jul 2008 20:57:26 +0000 http://blog.tmorris.net/just-an-observation/#comment-2387 Because you don't have to trace mutable aliases through your code, names in functional languages can be less descriptive. I'm not sure if this is a good trend or bad (I tend to think "bad"), but it's certainly happening. It also could be due to the fact that imperative languages require a *lot* of variables and assignments. At any one time, you're hauling around so many more symbols that you *need* to either have some very complex scoping, or be sure to have unambiguous names for everything. All of that goes away in functional languages. The only reason to create a variable is to make code more readable by breaking apart a complex expression. I guess it only makes sense that the shorter, more "typeable" names tend to triumph over the longer, more descriptive ones. Because you don’t have to trace mutable aliases through your code, names in functional languages can be less descriptive. I’m not sure if this is a good trend or bad (I tend to think “bad”), but it’s certainly happening. It also could be due to the fact that imperative languages require a *lot* of variables and assignments. At any one time, you’re hauling around so many more symbols that you *need* to either have some very complex scoping, or be sure to have unambiguous names for everything. All of that goes away in functional languages. The only reason to create a variable is to make code more readable by breaking apart a complex expression. I guess it only makes sense that the shorter, more “typeable” names tend to triumph over the longer, more descriptive ones.

]]> By: Michael Campbell http://blog.tmorris.net/just-an-observation/#comment-2386 Michael Campbell Mon, 07 Jul 2008 13:19:53 +0000 http://blog.tmorris.net/just-an-observation/#comment-2386 I have noticed this too, but I never made the connection of the usage of single letter identifiers with people just coming to FP (not that that connection isn't there, I just didn't make it). Is there any validity to my suspicion that since FP is more grounded in mathematics that imperitive (is that a true hypothesis?) that FP code tends to look more like mathematics? Ricky: Way back when a self-proclaimed Excel "stud" colleague of mine wrote a fairly complete application in Excel to handle his bank accounts. It did essentially what the first couple versions of Quicken did, but all in Excel. He even had it emit touch-tone phone tones to navigate his bank's phone-based interface to do funds transfers, payments, etc. (This was all pre-web.) I have noticed this too, but I never made the connection of the usage of single letter identifiers with people just coming to FP (not that that connection isn’t there, I just didn’t make it).

Is there any validity to my suspicion that since FP is more grounded in mathematics that imperitive (is that a true hypothesis?) that FP code tends to look more like mathematics?

Ricky:

Way back when a self-proclaimed Excel “stud” colleague of mine wrote a fairly complete application in Excel to handle his bank accounts. It did essentially what the first couple versions of Quicken did, but all in Excel. He even had it emit touch-tone phone tones to navigate his bank’s phone-based interface to do funds transfers, payments, etc. (This was all pre-web.)

]]> By: Ricky Clarkson http://blog.tmorris.net/just-an-observation/#comment-2385 Ricky Clarkson Mon, 07 Jul 2008 07:55:02 +0000 http://blog.tmorris.net/just-an-observation/#comment-2385 Most such variables (or sets of variables) are named through having a title. I think Excel increases 100-fold the number of programmers in the world. Most such variables (or sets of variables) are named through having a title. I think Excel increases 100-fold the number of programmers in the world.

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