Re: [9fans] nice quote

[David Leimbach <leimy2k@gmail.com>]

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On Sun, Sep 6, 2009 at 10:08 AM, Eris Discordia <eris.discordia@gmail.com>wrote:

> In this respect rating the "expressive power of C versus LISP" depends
>> very much on the problem domain under discussion.
>>
>
> Of course. I pointed out in my first post on the thread that "[...] for a
> person of my (low) caliber, LISP is neither suited to the family of problems
> I encounter nor suited to the machines I solve them on." I cannot exclude
> other machines and other problems but can talk from what little I have
> personally experienced.
>
>  I would like to see Haskell fill C's niche [...]
>>
>
> Is it as readily comprehensible to newcomers as C? Are there texts out
> there that can welcome a real beginner in programming and help him become
> productive, on a personal level at least, as rapidly as good C
> textbooks--you know the classic example--do? Is there a coherent mental
> model of small computers--not necessarily what you or I deem to be a small
> computer--that Haskell fits well and can be taught to learners? I imagine
> those will be indispensable for any language to replace existing languages,
> much more so in case of C.
>

According to the designer of F# (another functional programming language
that takes it's syntax from O'Caml as well as Haskell and even Python), one
of the best experiences he'd had was working with a high school student who
was able to modify a solar system simulation written in F# with no prior
programming experience.  (from
http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/271034/)

There's books on F# out there, and F# for Scientists.

http://www.ffconsultancy.com/products/fsharp_for_scientists/index.html

There's books on multimedia programming in Haskell out there that also
attempt to show programming to newcomers, but I'm not sure any of them
really assume no prior programming experience.

I think people learning C get one view of the computer that folks learning
assembly really learn to appreciate :-).  Folks learning Haskell learn
another mental model of programming as well.

My personal belief is that learning new languages makes one think about the
languages they are used to in a new light, and can make them better
programmers overall.

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