5 Jan
2012
5 Jan
'12
10:09 a.m.
On 01/05/2012 10:52 AM, Liam Proven wrote:
I have no idea. I have not programmed in any
meaningful sense in over
20y. I would expect so, yes.
[cited for reference below]
The unreadability of Lisp syntax is widely agreed,
/even by the
creator of Lisp./ It is often cited as one of the main reasons for the
lack of penetration of Lisp in mainstream business computing.
"Mainstream business computing" is extremely low-tech stuff, done by
people who regularly say "oh, it crashed, that's just how computers are,
just do it again, and reinstall if it doesn't work".
In architecture and engineering in particular, Lisp is used on a
daily basis by probably 95% of the industry. The architect working on
my building plans diddles with AutoLisp regularly, and until we
discussed it, he didn't even realize he was doing any programming!
I have read the first few pages of The Little Schemer,
generally
hailed as the best introduction to Scheme there is, and I found it
completely incomprehensible - and I am a skilled computer professional
with around a quarter century of experience. If I can't follow it, I
really do not believe that a random person with neither interest or
aptitude for it will be able to.
Please forgive me for jumping in, but I have to speak up here. You
keep going on and on about how you've got all this "IT experience" (you
didn't specifically mention "IT" above, but you have before), and that
should make you more able, not less able, to understand abstract "CS"
(as distinct from "IT") concepts. You reinforce what I'm saying by also
stating that you're not a software developer. Wrangling systems and
networks, working with databases, etc etc and whatever else constitutes
your day-to-day work life has jack-point-squat to do with advanced
theoretical concepts (with practical implementations) such as, for
example, closures.
It is my opinion that you should not feel it's unusual that you don't
"get" that stuff even though you are "a computer professional".
That's
like saying "I'm a podiatrist, so I work on the human body too...all
that stuff about understanding how neurons work is just bunk, because I
don't get it!"
I'm down with Death Flu(tm), and I'm sure I could've illustrated my
point a bit better above, but I think you get the general gist of what
I'm trying to say. The only reason *I* see the difference is because I
do both...otherwise I'd probably not get it either.
-Dave
--
Dave McGuire
New Kensington, PA