A 1982 letter from computer scientist Edsger Dijkstra critiques APL's polarizing nature, arguing that its influence on programmers' thinking styles—rather than usability—drives both admiration and aversion. He observes that APL devotees often rely heavily on its implementation environment, contrasting with proponents of other programming paradigms.
Background
APL is an influential array-oriented programming language developed in the 1960s known for its concise mathematical notation. Edsger Dijkstra was a pioneering computer scientist who advocated for structured programming and formal methods.
- Source
- Lobsters
- Published
- May 2, 2026 at 08:34 PM
- Score
- 6.0 / 10