January 2nd, 2025

On: Lisp, on Lisp, and My­Self

The author shares mixed feelings about Common Lisp, noting frustrations with its syntax but appreciating its flexibility. They recommend "On Lisp" and encourage experimentation and openness to new programming experiences.

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On: Lisp, on Lisp, and My­Self

The author reflects on their experiences with Common Lisp, expressing both frustrations and appreciation for the language. They acknowledge the challenges posed by Lisp's syntax and terminology, such as the use of terms like "terpri" and "multiple-value-bind," which can be off-putting. Despite these issues, the author finds value in Lisp's flexibility and power, noting that it allows for elegant solutions to programming problems. They highlight their enjoyment of the utilities provided in the book "On Lisp," which showcases the language's strengths. The author also shares personal anecdotes about their programming journey, including a preference for Scheme and contributions to Rackete, a Scheme dialect. They conclude with advice on programming, emphasizing the importance of experimentation, sharing code, and learning from mistakes. The author encourages readers to embrace their preferred programming languages while remaining open to new experiences.

- The author discusses frustrations with Common Lisp's syntax and terminology.

- Despite challenges, they appreciate Lisp's flexibility and problem-solving capabilities.

- The book "On Lisp" is recommended for its demonstration of Lisp's strengths.

- Personal anecdotes highlight a preference for Scheme and contributions to Rackete.

- The author offers advice on programming, emphasizing experimentation and learning from mistakes.

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