The Art of Computer Programming

[bananas]

The transmigration of Jobs brings up some interesting history,
namely the work of Donald Knuth.

Computer programming was a new field, and nobody was quite sure where it fit in the existing hierarchy.

It had mainly been in the engineering departments, specifically electrical engineering,
because the actual physical devices were built by electrical engineers.

Mathematicians thought it was a cute distraction, maybe I'll go into that in future posts, maybe not.

Then there were the people who thought it was a "science".

And that raises a lot of un-obvious questions about what is "science".

Anyhow - Donald Knuth was a well-known expert in the field,
and when he published volume one of "The Art of Computer Programming",
people freaked out.

I'm dead serious about this, it confused the hell out of people:
The "big guestion" at the time was whether computer programming was "science" or "engineering",
and here was Don Knuth saying it was "math" and "art".

[Name removed]

1. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[bananas]

2. ROFL

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Art_of_Computer_Programming

The Art of Computer Programming (acronym: TAOCP) is a comprehensive monograph written by Donald Knuth that covers many kinds of programming algorithms and their analysis.

Knuth began the project, originally conceived as a single book with twelve chapters, in 1962. The first three of what were then expected to be a seven-volume set were published in 1968, 1969, and 1973. The first installment of Volume 4 (a paperback fascicle) was published in 2005. The hardback volume 4A was published in 2010. Additional fascicle installments are planned for release approximately biannually.

http://www.amazon.com/Art-Computer-Programming-Volumes-Boxed/dp/0201485419

[w0nderer]

4. you mean you don't write your prayers in a programming language?

but if 'god' is really old it's more likely he's a silicone based 'form of existence' since that is parts replacable
and the main part can remain theoretically indefinitely


*jumps behind flameshelter*

[geckosfeet]

3. Math yes, in a fairly traditional sense. Different number systems, logic and

some arithmetic.

The art part is unique. It is a blend of language and creative writing. As a programmer you study the problem to be solved like a painter studies their subject. Observation and creation. Programmers create works that react differently to various inputs.

[bananas]

5. Knuth went on to create Tex, Jobs went on to use Display Postscript

Programming and math are creative acts like art.
Science is purely inductive, a subset of reality.

[LAGC]

6. Oh, so its SCIENCE that you have a problem with, eh?

And that's why you're spamming the Religion/Theology forum?

:crazy:

[bananas]

7. I don't have a problem with science, and I'm not spamming the r/t forum. nt

[bananas]

8. Maybe you have a problem with math, art, and religion

hint: art and religion are off the scale...

[LAGC]

9. So... Art and Religion are more pure than Mathematics?

Or just more "useful?"

:crazy:

[bananas]

10. More pure, and in some cases more useful. nt

[LAGC]

11. How so?

:popcorn:

[RC]

12. Not so. Everything can be reduced to mathematics.

Except religion. Religion is what the believer believes it is.

[bananas]

14. There's an old joke

A young man who got too philosophical asked his rabbi,
"How do we know what's real? Everything can be reduced to mathematics! Religion is what the believer believes it is!"

Then the rabbi punched him in the nose and asked, "what hurts?"

[LAGC]

15. Not a very funny joke.

Unless you're saying someone throwing a punch can't be scientifically explained.

:eyes:

[cleanhippie]

16. So religion is like punching someone in the nose?

I don't get it. What does punching someone in the nose have to do with religion?

[rrneck]

19. I think it's sort of like

going into a biker bar and calling the biggest one in there a pussy whipped motherfucker.

That way you'll know WHY you got the shit kicked of you.

[MineralMan]

13. For me, programming was the same as writing.

It was just another language to learn and a logic to follow. I had to tell the computer to do things I wanted it to do. It was fun, hard work, and quite rewarding. Working in a high-level language is just writing instructions. Spelling and punctuation counted even more than in normal writing.

I enjoyed it a great deal, and the applications I wrote made me a decent living for a few years.

[GliderGuider]

17. My first profession was photography, my second was software development.

I looked on them both as being quite similar, as they are both a blend of art and technology. In both I found myself using technical means to tell stories. With photography I told stories about people and the natural world, with software I told stories about system behaviour and the interaction of humans with these systems.

Not too much difference, except that the photography gave me more recognition while the software gave me more money.

[MarkCharles]

18. Happy to see that the moderator moved this topic to the

general forum.

Thank you, moderator!

[bemildred]

20. Was there some question?

I side with Mr. Knuth if that's the question.