Instead of deciding between Python or Lisp for a programming intro course...What about an intro course that uses *BOTH*? Good idea?

[zipher]

On Tuesday, May 12, 2015 at 10:47:48 PM UTC-5, Ian wrote:
> On Tue, May 12, 2015 at 9:11 PM, zipher <dreamingforward at gmail.com> wrote:
> > I know.  That's because most people have fallen off the path (http://c2.com/cgi/wiki?OneTruePath).
> 
> You wrote that, didn't you? I recognize that combination of delusional
> narcissism and curious obsession with Turing machines.

Damn straight.  But to call the reference to Turing machines delusional, means you've already been captured by the first enemy on the Path.  (cf. Javascript!)

> > You haven't done it because either others have done it for you (NumPy) or you simply aren't perfecting anything that needs to scale; i.e. you don't really need to minimize memory or CPU consumption because you're working with toy problems relative to the power of most hardware these days.
> 
> There is such a thing as over-optimization. Given unlimited programmer
> time, sure, everything might be made to run using the minimum possible
> time and space.

You don't need to teach me these basics.  If you had read the document, you would have seen that I already had assimilated the lessons of [Master] Jon Bentley.  I know about over-optimization, however, if you had followed my other posts, you would also know that I'm attempting something that will require some interest in the underlying hardware at some point.  Or, perhaps let's say, it's just my personal (unique?) preference not to create bloatware.

mark