Programmers out here?

[teller]

I knew algs as "series" in the old days. I don't know if Singmaster called them that, but Hofstadter did.

 

[Stefan]

I guess Germans don't like using the term "algorithm" to describe a sequence of moves involving no decisions.

Germans do say "algorithm" all the time, tim is lying. Nah, not really lying, "Zugfolge" (move sequence) is a good proper term (*) that is indeed used instead. But unfortunately only rarely. Most just adopt "algorithm" without thinking. A few days ago at a meeting there was a reporter and I insisted we don't say "Algorithmus" to her but "Zugfolge" (and I think tim agreed). I don't have any technical issue with using the term "algorithm" (and I'm in computer science, so do know the general meaning). My issue with it is that the media and the general population doesn't really know the word "algorithm", so it makes cubing sound much more complicated and mysterious than it is. When someone tries to explain to a non-cuber how cubing works and says "you just need some algorithms", that doesn't give them a better understanding but a worse one. So it pisses me off whenever someone does that, or when the media parrots it, typically accentuated like "they use *algorithms* to solve it". Among cubers (who already use the term anyway), it still makes me a bit sad, but I find it ok.

(*) Though I might overestimate that, maybe I'm just familiar with that term from playing chess and the general population isn't that familiar with it. But at least it's a descriptive term (Zug=move, Folge=sequence), so unlike "algorithm", people who don't know it still have a good chance to understand it, and it doesn't sound mystical like "algorithm". Similar to the German word for "science", which is "Wissenschaft" and roughly translates to "knowledge creation" (Wissen=knowledge). I think calling it "knowledge creation" would lead to fewer opponents of science than "science".

 

[joey]

A language does not define it's execution. With Rubinius now, a Ruby implementation that can create machine code, and I'm sure others similar to PHP etc, there isn't always that distinction.
You can interpret C, so I guess it can't count as a programming language, etc.

Programming languages are languages your program in. Compiled ones are compiler, interpreted ones are interpreted.

 

[VReality]

When someone tries to explain to a non-cuber how cubing works and says "you just need some algorithms", that doesn't give them a better understanding but a worse one.

Exactly.

And since anyone would understand "sequence", "series", or even "combo", I can't think of a good reason to say "algorithm" except to try to confuse people (I mean, of course, other than the fact that it has now become common terminology in the community).

 

[Johannes91]

Would you also say Java is flat out a programming language by the same definition? Java still has an interpreter which is one of those criteria people rule it against.

That can't be a serious question. Anyone can make new definitions for words and put them somewhere google will see them. It doesn't change the commonly accepted meaning.

And yeah it doesn't matter.

You can interpret C, so I guess it can't count as a programming language, etc.

Machine language is also interpreted! (by the hardware)

 

[Mr 005]

lets see

AS3 is my best I love flash

a bit of C

a bit of VB

 

[StachuK1992]

I've done 5hrs+ coding with:
VB (6, .NET), C# (.NET), ASP.NET, C, C++, HTML, Java, Javascript, Python, Scheme

Most of what I've done has been C, Java, and Python.

Also, some random BASICs.

 

[Jorghi]

C#, C++, VB.NET, VB6, SQL, PHP, JavaScript

Python -> Never used, Never will.

 

[collinbxyz]

lolbump