Re: [stack] Function Level Programming

On Sep 19, 2007, at 19:37 , Christopher Diggins wrote:

> I am looking at the function level programming entry on Wikipeda (
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Function-level_programming ) and I am
> intrigued.
>
> "This restriction means that functions in FP are a module (generated
> by the built-in functions) over the algebra of functional forms, and
> are thus algebraically tractable. For instance, the general question
> of equality of two functions is equivalent to the halting problem, and
> is undecidable, but equality of two functions in FP is just equality
> in the algebra, and thus (Backus imagines) easier."
>
> This sounds significant, but I don't know how to leverage such
> information practically. What other kinds of things can you do if
> functions are a module? Are functions a module in Joy?
>
> Thanks,
> Christopher

This thread has turned into the most information-dense thing I've read
since first encountering Joy. I've been downloading and printing for the
past hour!

I, too, am intrigued by this module idea and intend to do some serious
studying of the issues involved. Also Backus's FP, which has some
ideas I'd like to try implementing in Catenate.
--
Don Groves

"Every now and then a man's mind is stretched by a new idea and never
shrinks back to its former dimensions." -- Oliver Wendel Holmes, Sr.