Re:Whoever does not understand Lisp is doomed to reinvent it...
by fsloth on Sunday May 15, 2016 @03:46AM
(#11699945)
"LISP is such an EPIC language..."
IMO, the true advantage of lisp nowadays is that of an abstract syntax tree algebra ripped clean of cruft (well, that's scheme, but...). It's much more useful as a way of thinking rather than as a language. "Structure and interpretation of computer programs"is great because if one goes through the entire book and especially implements the scheme interpreter in e.g. C++ or whatever living language it gives you this fantastic general normalized thought model of programming languages which makes it much easier to learn new languages and concepts. That's anyway my experience.
So, to me, Lisp is useful similarly as say, relational theory is useful in software designed (having a relational model is wonderful for complex systems even with a lack of SQL database as a part of the system - if there is more than one 'thing' screw objects and rather use explicit tables and maps).
IMO, the true advantage of lisp nowadays is that of an abstract syntax tree algebra ripped clean of cruft (well, that's scheme, but...). It's much more useful as a way of thinking rather than as a language. "Structure and interpretation of computer programs"is great because if one goes through the entire book and especially implements the scheme interpreter in e.g. C++ or whatever living language it gives you this fantastic general normalized thought model of programming languages which makes it much easier to learn new languages and concepts. That's anyway my experience.
So, to me, Lisp is useful similarly as say, relational theory is useful in software designed (having a relational model is wonderful for complex systems even with a lack of SQL database as a part of the system - if there is more than one 'thing' screw objects and rather use explicit tables and maps).