http://qs321.pair.com?node_id=153283

Computers are tools for converting understanding into action.
Programming is to achieve and express an understanding that is detailed enough for this to work.

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Re: Computers and Programming
by gmax (Abbot) on Mar 21, 2002 at 10:21 UTC
    Unfortunately, sometimes, your understanding and the computer's understanding of the same action take different paths.
    When I say 
    my $string = 'I am a "Perl programmer", you are a "piece of rust"';
$string =~ /"(.*)"/;
print "$1\n";

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    I expect the stupid machine to spit out 'Perl Programmer'. Instead, I get 'Perl programmer", you are a "piece of rust'

    The machine has converted some understanding into action. But it wasn't my understanding. :(

    Therefore, programming is to translate my understanding into the machine's understanding. :)
    $string =~ /"([^"]*)"/; # 'Perl programmer'

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      Well - what to say?

      Maybe you use a language dialect that the interpreter doesn't understand ;-)
      IMHO each part of the (working) code is an instance of specific art - coding styles differ. I think that mine is ugly (becouse it's mine ;->) and the code i can find here is great (in most cases it's much shorter and faster and still does the same thing)...

      But as i said - it's just my humble oppinion ;-)

      Greetz, Tom.
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      You have expressed your stated understanding incorrectly. That's all.

      Christian Lemburg
      Brainbench MVP for Perl
      http://www.brainbench.com

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Re: Computers and Programming
by Biker (Priest) on Mar 21, 2002 at 10:25 UTC

    Computers always do what you tell them to do. Which is not necessarily what you want them to do.

    Everything went worng, just as foreseen.

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      > fortune -m 'damned machine'
%% (fortunes)
I really hate this damned machine
I wish that they would sell it.
It never does quite what I want
But only what I tell it.

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      Christian Lemburg
      Brainbench MVP for Perl
      http://www.brainbench.com

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        Heh, I wasn't aware of that. I've heard and repeated that statement for more than twenty years. I guess someone was the first to state it, but I've never heard anyone claim to be the origin of the saying.

        Not even 'fortune' has a reference to the originator?

        Everything went worng, just as foreseen.

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