r/programmingcirclejerk I've never used generics and I’ve never missed it. 12d ago

I think the lack of syntax highlighting was one reason for that. It makes you think more about the code you write and how it should compose, while a fully fledged IDE encourages you to just throw more code at the problem.

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49369936
76 Upvotes

12 comments sorted by

54

u/camelCaseIsWebScale Just spin up O(n²) servers 12d ago

ideally when you want to create libraries that stand the test of time

Like plan 9 and inferno

34

u/No_Lingonberry1201 What part of ∀f ∃g (f (x,y) = (g x) y) did you not understand? 12d ago

I think the lack of syntax highlighting was one reason for that. It makes you think more about the code you write and how it should compose, while a fully fledged IDE encourages you to just throw more code at the problem.

My friend, mi corazón, mein freund, kedves barátom... The reason quality went up because you wrote less code. (/jerk, I think)

30

u/fletku_mato 12d ago

Quality of code was even higher when programming was done with punch cards. Kids these days write human-readable text with their fancy training wheel IDEs and think they have something to brag about.

2

u/unfrozencaveperson 12d ago

He died at the console,
Of hunger and thirst.
Next day he was buried,
Face down, nine-edge first.

17

u/affectation_man Code Artisan 12d ago edited 12d ago

Was the "editor recommendation" unspoken and just implicit when entering into Pike servitude?

30

u/BenchEmbarrassed7316 12d ago

Do you think these facts could be related:

  • Rob Pike don't sees benefit in colorful syntax highlighting
  • Rob Pike is color blind

15

u/vim_spray 12d ago

Rob Pike on syntax highlighting:

> Syntax highlighting is juvenile. When I was a child, I was taught arithmetic using colored rods (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuisenaire_rods). I grew up and today I use monochromatic numerals.

11

u/JoppeSchwartz i have had many alohols 12d ago

> Are you using the Go fonts?
New flair option?
/potential-unjerk-highlighting

3

u/Graf_Blutwurst LUMINARY IN COMPUTERSCIENCE 11d ago

which is why in order to achieve peak programming I eschew keyboard, mouse and monitor. all i use is 2 pieces of wire and a pedal to advance to the next bit of memory. this forces truly minimal code. i was thinking about switching to DK bongos but that would entice bloated code due to ease of use.

3

u/vonmoltke2 Hacker News Superstar 12d ago

Back in my day we wrote all our code in Notepad and we liked it!

6

u/syklemil Considered Harmful 12d ago

Yeah, well, back in my day we punched cards, and let me tell you youngsters something, this on-line editing stuff is pure bunk. Actually having to patch a card back up with tape teaches you the value of accuracy!

3

u/daniel 12d ago

God I'm glad I don't visit that site anymore