Article View: comp.lang.misc
Article #5547Re: Universal Programming Languge (was: Universal OS)
From: eugene
Date: Thu, 12 May 1988 21:07
Date: Thu, 12 May 1988 21:07
24 lines
2076 bytes
2076 bytes
In article <4723@ihlpf.ATT.COM> nevin1@ihlpf.UUCP (00704a-Liber,N.J.) writes:
>In article <4039@killer.UUCP> loci@killer.UUCP (loci!clb) writes:
>>Computers are mathematical, and operate best on these problem,
>This is a common fallacy, that computers are inherently mathematical.
>Mathematics is simply one way of abstracting what a computer does.
Actually, if you restricted math to use ASCII [just alphanumeric and a
few other characters], imposed many limitations which would mimic
"storage," "execution time [speed math, your theorems must be proved
quickly]," "compile" it, you could get math to look to look a lot like
computers. [Knuth, Mar. 1985 AMM? Mathematicians know the value of
everything and the cost of nothing modified from Perlis's Epigrams].
Consider doing math with $int$ $sum from i = 1 to inf$, etc. Certainly
doable, but I am only aware of a few systems which can evaluate 2^72-1
(certainly all systems with bc) and this is just a small integer 8-).
This is part of the beauty of math as well as a limitation.
Another gross generalization from
--eugene miya, NASA Ames Research Center, eugene@aurora.arc.nasa.gov
resident cynic at the Rock of Ages Home for Retired Hackers:
"Mailers?! HA!", "If my mail does not reach you, please accept my apology."
{uunet,hplabs,hao,ihnp4,decwrl,allegra,tektronix}!ames!aurora!eugene
"Send mail, avoid follow-ups. If enough, I'll summarize."
Technical Details
Message-ID:
<8679@ames.arc.nasa.gov>Path:
arc1-ca.pugleaf.net!utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!bellcore!faline!thumper!ulysses!andante!mit-eddie!ll-xn!ames!pioneer!eugeneReferences:
<769@imagine.PAWL.RPI.EDU> <76700017@uiucdcsp> <843@actnyc.UUCP> <3558@psuvax1.psu.edu> <4039@killer.UUCP> <4723@ihlpf.ATT.COM>Show Full Headers
Complete Article Headers
Path: arc1-ca.pugleaf.net!utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!bellcore!faline!thumper!ulysses!andante!mit-eddie!ll-xn!ames!pioneer!eugene From: eugene@pioneer.UUCP Newsgroups: comp.lang.misc Subject: Re: Universal Programming Languge (was: Universal OS) Message-ID: <8679@ames.arc.nasa.gov> Date: 12 May 88 21:07:11 GMT References: <769@imagine.PAWL.RPI.EDU> <76700017@uiucdcsp> <843@actnyc.UUCP> <3558@psuvax1.psu.edu> <4039@killer.UUCP> <4723@ihlpf.ATT.COM> Sender: usenet@ames.arc.nasa.gov Reply-To: eugene@pioneer.UUCP (Eugene N. Miya) Organization: NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif. Lines: 24 Posted: Thu May 12 17:07:11 1988