h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A517565

This is a bit of a monster of an Entry, but I just kept thinking of more and more stuff to put in it... there seems to be an issue with displaying the code fragments in the proper font, but as far as I can tell my GuideML is correct (it previews right) so don't complain about it! I'm trying to work out what's going wrong to see if it's something the Towers can fix.

In the mean time, what do you think? I know it's a bit technical, but it is a programming language after all!

Just wanted to say that this one does a great job of presenting technical information in a way that's accessible to the rest of us!


Mikey

well written, but a few things need a mention.
as the other main language based on lambda calculus, list should definately be mentioned, if only in passing.
You menion tuples, and domains. If as this implies, it is implemented using the relational daabase logical model, and enforces it properly, this would make it the ideal language for implimenting the convergence of object oriented and relational database technology.
Also, where is the family history. most languages don't spring fully formed from the mind of their inventor, and are inspired by other languages. mentioning them might be nice. keep up the good work.

Comments noted, revisions in the pipeline... but I gotta do some coursework first. In Haskell.

Revisions done. Anything else? I'm debating whether to mention how IO is handled, but that's headache-inducing as it uses Monads, which I don't understand.

I think, that as you are giving your professor/lecturer a credit, you ought to ask him about the relational database/object oriented database integration issue, as it is one of the outstanding unsolved problems of the moment, and you might have found a solution.

That's not a bad idea. I'll get back to you on that and see what can be discovered.

Hang on a sec - I didn't mention domains at all. Can't actually recall them ever being mentioned in fact. Oh, and from some browsing of various Haskell and functional programming-related sites and research projects it doesn't look like anyone's doing that kind of research - or if they are, they aren't talking about it.

And if they are, I think that would probably be a subject for another Entry.

This is me being nitpicky.

You mention artificial intelligence -- why not add a link to the AI Entry?

You got a removed URL: "... the most popular is a system called [URL removed by moderator - broken link]."

"The order of elements in a list is important, and elements do not have to be unique. They are delimited by [ and ]." Are elements delimited by [ and ]? You're referring to lists, right? After reading further, I'm not quite sure I understand how to define lists at all...

I found the rest of the Entry very and informative. I ~luv~ the recursive datatypes!

Okay, I'll see what I can do. The URL's been cleaned up now - evidently the homepage for Hugs has moved, and although it's redirecting properly now the moderators must have checked it when it wasn't. I'll try and clarify the definition of a list, as they are indeed delimited by [ and ]. Perhaps examples would be helpful?

And yes, recursive datatypes are incredibly groovy.

I've made some changes...

Aha, links to other h2g2 Entries and a nice explanation of lists. I like it!

Good!

* is happy *

You mention tuples in "basic types in haskell", and domains in the bit about "polymorphic types". In all cases the usage is consistent with relational databases, and it would therefore seem to offer the previously mentioned solution. As regards being mentioned on websites, I would expect work on this to be at the research to fundamental research level, and thus the suggestion to talk to your professor. If he says that the types and domains are different, some clarification will be in order.

So I do... I only mentioned domains as just any easy way of describing type classes, so I may have been misleading. Anyway, the question should be in Dr Hutton's inbox in about... ooh... minus four seconds, so hopefully he won't be too busy to reply.

It doesn't look like it... he pointed me in the direction of a guy who's doing research into databases like that, but it seems that he's not researching that specifically, and it also doesn't seem like he's gotten particularly beyond the theory stage. But then, does anyone?

He also didn't say there were any errors in the Entry, so...

You forgot "*hint!* *hint!*". Subtlety never got anyone anywhere.

Where was the hint hint supposed to be then?

"He also didn't say there were any errors in the Entry, so... *hint* *hint*"

That whole sentence was a hint to scouts to pick this entry for editing...

Oh yes, of course.

Sorry Scouts...