lang comparison: in-place algorithm for reversing a list in Perl, Python, Lisp

[Rainer Weikusat]

Xah Lee <xahlee at gmail.com> writes:

[...]

> similarly, in perl, either one
> require POSIX; floor(x/y);
> the require POSIX instead of Math is a quirk. But even, floor should
> really be builtin.
> or
> using a perl hack
> int(x/y)
>
> all of the above are quirks. They rely on computer engineering by-
> products (such as int),

Integral numbers are not 'a computer engineering byproduct'.

> or rely on the lang's idiosyncrasy. One easy way to measure it is
> whether a programer can read and understand a program without having
> to delve into its idiosyncrasies. Problem with these lang idioms is
> that it's harder to understand, and whatever advantage/optimization
> they provide is microscopic and temporary.

It's hard to understand for someone who knows only mathematical
idiosyncrasies and who is also convinced that this should really be
more than enough for a lifetime. But that's not some kind of 'natural
knowledge' people just happen to have but systematically drilled into
pupils from a very early age, despite most of them won't ever have any
use for any of it insofar it goes beyond + - * /. 

[...]

> idiomatic programing, is a bad thing.

If you have to use something (like a particular programming language)
but you resent learning how to use it and rather make lofty excuses,
chances are that you are rather a lazy f*cker than a great philosopher
...