On: The Parable of the Two Programmers (1985)

[sidcool]

Quite an interesting article. The best part is that the article does not judge. It simply lays down facts for us and leaves the opinionated part onto us.

[Retra → sidcool]

Is this sarcasm? The article pretty clearly judges in an extremely opinionated way.

It's a shame it never actually stated the specification of the program. It seems like that would be the kind of thing you would need to know to form a fair opinion.

[sidcool → Retra]

It's not sarcasm. I really interpreted the article this way. Might not be the correct interpretation.

[javert → sidcool]

You got it right.

Perhaps a better way to put it would be to say that the article teaches by demonstration instead of teaching by assertion.

[smasuch → javert]

But, it's a fictional story. I can make up a fictional story to demonstrate anything, regardless if it's true in the real world.

[smasuch → sidcool]

I thought this was a fictional story.

[sidcool → smasuch]

It might be, my intention was to highlight the fact that the article is laid down as a set of facts with no judgement. It's not like Charles was a hero. It just shows how Alan was rewarded. It's like reading something as simple as fate.

[thaumaturgy → smasuch]

It might be the most fictional story ever written about programming.

It's completely ridiculous.

[javert → thaumaturgy]

I don't think it's ridiculous at all. Have you ever worked in the defense industry?

[thaumaturgy → javert]

Yes, actually, I have.

So this story isn't ridiculous because it applies to a niche that it never mentions?