I feel that we spend too much time worrying about the syntax of programming languages. I don't find switching between typing in erlang/lisp/java/ruby code any more difficult. All I do is switch IDEs (or plugins) and I'm at about the same level of productivity typing wise.
Semantics are much more interesting to talk about, but it seems we never do talk about them. We rarely have holy-wars over the semantic differences between (for example) c and lisp, or lisp and Erlang.
There are certain problems that are easier to solve when expressed as many concurrent processes. In this same way, there are certain problems that are easier to solve when expressed as self modifying code or a tower of objects, or low level bit bashing.
At a certain level, different syntaxes do absolutely nothing for me. No matter what I'm doing with code, I am manipulating a syntax tree. I'm never thinking about the syntax on the page as the 'code,' what is on the page is just a representation of the 'code' that is in my head and being run by the computer. And the semantics of that 'code' is what influences how I use the language.
Syntax on the page is almost a deception. Kind of an illusion that influences you into thinking about the code in a certain abstract way (a spatial 'on the page' arrangement of different parts), when really, the code was already abstract to begin with (runtime execution 'arrangement' of the different parts).
Semantics are much more interesting to talk about, but it seems we never do talk about them. We rarely have holy-wars over the semantic differences between (for example) c and lisp, or lisp and Erlang.
There are certain problems that are easier to solve when expressed as many concurrent processes. In this same way, there are certain problems that are easier to solve when expressed as self modifying code or a tower of objects, or low level bit bashing.
At a certain level, different syntaxes do absolutely nothing for me. No matter what I'm doing with code, I am manipulating a syntax tree. I'm never thinking about the syntax on the page as the 'code,' what is on the page is just a representation of the 'code' that is in my head and being run by the computer. And the semantics of that 'code' is what influences how I use the language.
Syntax on the page is almost a deception. Kind of an illusion that influences you into thinking about the code in a certain abstract way (a spatial 'on the page' arrangement of different parts), when really, the code was already abstract to begin with (runtime execution 'arrangement' of the different parts).