[ale] [OT] Rev Bayes and the best programming language
Pete Hardie
pete.hardie at gmail.com
Sat May 7 15:27:35 EDT 2016
Now, Jim, you know that's objectively wrong...:)
On Sat, May 7, 2016 at 2:29 PM, Jim Kinney <jim.kinney at gmail.com> wrote:
> My gripe with all languages: until you know all the library functions too
> much time is spent reinventing the wheel. Once all the library functions
> are known, all languages are pretty much like all other languages once
> syntax idiosyncrasies are bypassed.
>
> Best language: whatever I'm good at and am willing to pound keyboard
> producing.
>
> Worst language: same as best but now must be maintained by someone else.
>
> On May 7, 2016 1:41 PM, "Tim Watts" <tim at cliftonfarm.org> wrote:
>
>> Best programming language? Java. It's YUGE and very classy. The best!
>>
>>
>> On Sat, 2016-05-07 at 11:20 -0400, Leam Hall wrote:
>> > I just read a chapter (1) on Bayes and decision making. Wanted to try it
>> > out on a conundrum I've been wrangling for some long period of time:
>> > "What's the best programming language for me?" Posting here for feedback
>> > and critique, many of you are smarter than I.
>> >
>> > Not evaluating any language on pure technical merit, but on personal
>> > measures. Starting with X measures, and assigning them percentages in
>> > blocks of 25. So a value can be 0, 25%, 50%, 75%, or 100%, and a maximum
>> > total of 100% * measures with an average of total/measures. Using large
>> > blocks helps prevent analysis paralysis.
>> >
>> > The current measures are:
>> >
>> > Is it suitable to the sort of things I want to do?
>> > For example, Assembler isn't as suited for interactive web pages.
>> > Possible, but not suited.
>> > Assumes I know what I want to do.
>> >
>> > How quickly can I produce something?
>> > Assumes I have put 20+ serious hours into learning it. (2)
>> > Produce output; web pages, computation, whatever.
>> >
>> > Do I enjoy that language?
>> > If you enjoy it you're more likely to do it, which is how
>> > you get better at it.
>> > Enjoyment also helps overall life outlook.
>> >
>> > Does it help me achieve my goals?
>> > Whatever your goals are, does this contribute to achieving them?
>> > Assumes I have concrete goals.
>> >
>> >
>> > So, let's play with some options. C, Ruby, Perl, Shell.
>> >
>> > Most of what I want to do involves text wrangling; straight text, some
>> > XML, and the occasional database query. Almost all of it is for human
>> > consumption either primarily or secondarily. Scores for this might be:
>> >
>> > C 25 (A lot more effort than scripting)
>> > Ruby 100
>> > Perl 100
>> > Shell 50 (Harder to do XML and SQL)
>> >
>> > Looking at what I want to do, how quickly can I produce something? In my
>> > case the base test is "run a program that produces a valid character for
>> > the Traveller RPG".
>> >
>> > C 25 (My C is weak, even after months)
>> > Ruby 100 (Already have base code)
>> > Perl 25 (I have forgotten most of my PERL)
>> > Shell 50 (There's a SQLite call I don't know)
>> >
>> > Now a very subjective test; how much do I really enjoy coding in that
>> > language? To me this might even have a heavier weight than many
>> > measures. However, since we're only using a few, and since they are all
>> > pretty significant, it stays equal.
>> >
>> > C 25
>> > Ruby 75
>> > Perl 0 (I actually got nauseous the last time I tried)
>> > Shell 50 Boring.
>> >
>> > Lastly, does it help me achieve my goal(s)? My real goal is to stay
>> > gainfully employed until I croak. Retirement is for people who forget
>> > they won't be able to do what they can do now, then. I enjoy my work and
>> > want to keep doing it.
>> >
>> > C 75
>> > Ruby 75
>> > Perl 75
>> > Shell 100
>> >
>> >
>> > Assuming my pen and paper calculations are correct (3), that gives a
>> > probably if "best" as:
>> >
>> > C 37.5
>> > Ruby 87.5
>> > Perl 50.0
>> > Shell 62.5
>> >
>> > Other languages have their merit; Python and Go quickly come to mind.
>> > PHP is big as well. You would likely choose different measures and
>> > different languages.
>> >
>> > Thoughts?
>> >
>> > Leam
>> >
>> >
>> > 1. Duhigg, Charles "Smarter, Faster, Better" (2016). Chapter 6 "Decision
>> > Making"
>> >
>> > 2. Kaufman, Josh "The First 20 Hours: How to Learn Anything...Fast"
>> (2014)
>> >
>> > 3. Added on paper and then irb to get the average. :)
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>>
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>
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--
Pete Hardie
--------
Better Living Through Bitmaps
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