Ruby and Java both lack first class functions--functions can't return values that can be directly called with () (unless this has changed with Java 8?).
Re:G()('al')
by eatnumber1 on Saturday July 26, 2014 @11:21PM
(#8091845)
For the impossible bullets, they link to informal arguments as to why it's impossible. The ruby one has code - it's a syntax error.
The bullets link to non-solutions, which are not enough to formally prove that it is impossible to solve this challenge in the language.
Re:G()('al')
by eatnumber1 on Saturday July 26, 2014 @11:24PM
(#8091858)
Agreed. These are informal. If you want to make a formal proof that it's impossible, I'll make a new category.
More generally, what properties must a programming language satisfy for this problem to be solvable in it?
My current intuition is that if a language does not denote function calls with () enclosing arguments, AND if a language does not support metaprogramming (eg. LISP macros), then the problem is not solvable in it. Still thinking about it.