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Stroustrup's Rule (2024)
8 days ago
- Stroustrup's Rule: Beginners need explicit syntax; experts prefer terse syntax.
- Rust's error handling evolved from explicit match statements to the ? operator.
- Python's 'walrus' operator debate highlights tension between expert terseness and beginner explicitness.
- Teaching requires balancing expert-preferred terse syntax with beginner-friendly explicit examples.
- TLA+ example contrasts explicit invariants with terser function sets for teaching clarity.
Tiny-C Reference Manual Excerpt
3 days ago
- The manual introduces tiny-c as a language inspired by BASIC, with a focus on ease of learning through a single computing environment.
- It describes tiny-c as a structured programming language with if-then-else, while loops, functions, variables (global and local), pointers, and arrays, suitable for training and powerful enough for real use.
- The walk-through of a sample 'guessnum' program illustrates key features like comments, functions, compound statements, variable declarations, and control structures like if and while loops.
- It emphasizes structured programming principles such as modularity, predictable program flow, local variables, and meaningful variable names to enhance program clarity and simplicity.
- The manual also covers installation guides for different systems and targets multiple audiences, including beginners and experienced programmers.
OCaml 5.5 Released
3 days ago
- OCaml 5.5.0 introduces module-dependent functions, allowing modules as function arguments for lightweight functors.
- The compiler is now relocatable, enabling switches to be cloned without recompilation for faster setup.
- Higher-rank polymorphic functions can be defined directly using explicit type annotations in function arguments.
- New string functions for searching and replacing substrings are added, using constant-space algorithms.
- Generalized local definitions permit defining types, classes, or module types locally.
- External types enhance FFI interoperability by making types distinguishable for better GADT behavior.
- GC improvements include a sweep-only phase at major GC start and an idle phase for smoother performance.
- Windows implementation no longer relies on Winpthreads, with many incremental changes and bug fixes.
AI has torched the market for junior programmers
a day ago
- AI has significantly reduced job opportunities for junior programmers, with employment among developers aged 22-25 down 19% since late 2022.
- The total number of software developers has grown by 10% from May 2022 to May 2025, but the decline in junior roles is masked in aggregate data due to their small workforce share.
- Traditional programming jobs focused on writing code to spec are shrinking, while roles requiring judgment, such as data scientists and systems analysts, are growing.
- A surge in new developers is evident, with GitHub adding 36 million accounts and App Store submissions rising 24% in 2025, but many of these individuals do not identify as programmers.
- The career pipeline for senior developers is at risk because AI now handles junior-level tasks, breaking the traditional apprenticeship model within employment.
- Security concerns are rising as AI-generated code often fails basic tests, and many new apps have critical flaws, highlighting a lack of oversight.
- Some companies, like IBM, are redesigning entry-level roles to focus on customer contact and specification, while others, such as Salesforce, have halted hiring.
- Job postings for entry-level positions began recovering in May 2025, suggesting a potential market correction, but rebuilding the career ladder remains crucial for the profession's future.
Programmers need to start meditating now
14 hours ago
- Programming previously offered a meditative flow state that quieted the mind by reducing activity in the default mode network, which is linked to rumination and worry.
- Modern programming roles involve constant context switching and multitasking, which diminishes time spent in flow states and may affect mental well-being.
- Programmers should adopt new meditative practices, such as hobbies or apps like Calm or Waking Up, to compensate for the loss of inherent meditation in their work.
Scheme Is a Hoot
9 hours ago
- The author is learning Scheme and implementing physics concepts, compiling to the Web using Hoot.
- Hoot is unstable (version 0.9.0), with decent documentation and cryptic errors, but allows Scheme code to run on the Web via custom WASM without Emscripten.
- Initially misunderstood Hoot's compatibility; had to port code to use Hoot-specific functions, then realized it supports more of Guile with manual imports.
- Set up code to run on both native Guile and WASM via Hoot, with automated tests for both environments, making most code agnostic to the runtime.
- Focus has been on backend setup and fundamental physics logic, with progress including a published prototype and source code.
- Future interest includes compiling Zig + Scheme programs to the Web with Hoot, exploring this combination despite potential complexity.

Hasty Briefsbeta

#programming

Stroustrup's Rule (2024)

Tiny-C Reference Manual Excerpt

OCaml 5.5 Released

AI has torched the market for junior programmers

Programmers need to start meditating now

Scheme Is a Hoot