We last proposed this 4 months ago. Since then, we’ve seen the following new APL-related posts:
- The Problem with APLs
- Calculating Burn Rates in J
- J Software releases many APL/mathematical works
- “APL follows a set of practices that directly contradict traditional programming wisdom”
- The World’s Most Mind-Bending Language Has the Best Development Environment
- MVT for APL V2.0
- ILanguage - A J-inspired Language
- All Of The Things That You Can Do With Arrays
- J’s Low-level Obfuscation Leads to Higher Levels of Clarity
- kdb+ free 64-bit personal edition
Suggested Description: “Array Programming Languages such as APL, J, and K.”
I’ve added the
apltag and backfilled it on the linked stories.I don’t know if it’s just the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon, but I feel like just since @hwayne started posting about J here, I’m seeing more and more APL and J stuff everywhere (including other tech link aggregators and Reddit).
Not that I’m complaining, mind you. So, +1
I just saw that mentioned on HN. I thought it was too simplistic because (a) I can easily tell with searches that some stuff picks up over time in waves and (b) some of those waves start by people posting things on well-read forums. Gotta eliminate that first.
Ive not seen people say Baader-Meinhof virtually ever despite being kind of person that likes learning or spoting such things. It got mentioned recently on HN which is said to have millions or tens of millions of views a month. At least one high karma person said it. After that, many other people are repeating it on HN, Reddit (which may have had it before HN), and now Lobsters.
We normally call these trends, fads, or bandwagons which are themselves even more common by my estimation than Baader-Meinhof obsessions. What I dont know is if you personally saw it on HN or Lobsters recently before saying it now. You might be independent of recent trend I saw on social media. Im guessing you read others, though, with you seeing on one. If so, it’s a just a fad.
I only use lobste.rs - certainly never Reddit nor HN - but, the post here on kdb+ I found interesting because I had just recently mentioned it in a private discussion about some language and tools which used used in very specific industries (we were talking about ‘big finance’, VLFIs [Very Large Financial Insutitions], and high frequency trading), so it was certainly a great example of synchronicity to see it mentioned here.
I always enjoy playing with APL because it causes you to excercise a different way of thinking, and would encourage all programmers to explore some recreational APL.
Doesn’t mean it might not be a fad, however, but I’d like to see such a tag, if only because I find APL and APL-derived languages and environments fascinating and enjoy reading about them.
Edit: I absolutely boycott all social media and do not use nor even access Facebook or Twitter or what not - but that doesn’t completely isolate me from influences from the people who do.
I was talking specifically about “Baader-Meinhof” in that comment. APL has had a lot of interesting posts here on Lobsters. That by itself is a little trend that could justify a tag with the upswing in interest. That might explain you seeing it here around same time you mentioned it but it’s still a little uncommon. Still might be an interesting coincidence.
“ I absolutely boycott all social media and do not use nor even access Facebook or Twitter or what not”
Good for you! It will save you a lot of time and headaches better spent on your life or hobbies. :)
I strongly suspect the people using the term (aside from the eye-roll worthy, pseudo-intellectual aspect) don’t know who the Baader-Meinhof Gang, the Red Army Faction or the German Autumn were, nor do they know how tenuous the connection between the group and the phenomenon is (go on…you know who you are…scramble to Wikipeadia to catch up). Maybe we use ‘frequency illusion’ or some equivalent term instead. RAF are horrible people that don’t need any more attention.
That said, I think an APL tag would be apropos.
Somehow I’ve never heard of the “Baader-Meinhof phenomenon” in this context! o_o
However, I recommend the The Baader Meinhof Complex (2008) available via the Criterion Collection.
Out of curiosity, is there a downside for having more granular tagging?
The people who submit have to do more work to categorize it. Might even require looking at every tag since they’re supposed to be filters to avoid bothering people. The people who submit often might get used to what tags to use. Although much of my stuff is similar, I have to pause and think on tags sometimes especially if something doesn’t quite fit in them.
An APL tag wouldn’t be a burden, though. Those dedicated to programming languages or OS’s are among easiest to use.
Yes please. As an underrepresented programming language and paradigm, I have found many of these posts mind expanding and would have loved to browse by tag.
Maybe “iverson” in honour of their common roots?
Or “array languages”. But ‘Iverson’ works.