undefined | Better HN

0 pointspessimizer3y ago0 comments

Did you mean to comment on the analogies you quoted other than to say that they are often used? Is being useful a problem for an analogy?

> But in most of today’s programming languages, x = x + 1 is not an equation. It is a statement that commands the computer to take the value of x, add one to it, and put it back into a variable called x.

This is on page 1 of every basic programming book when it's explaining how "variable" differs between math class and programming class. I can't for the life of me see what upsets you about it.

0 comments

shubhamjain3y ago

They are stupid because they don't address the fact that most procedural languages themselves have features to prevent re-assignments and mutable states (like, const). Also, variables reflect the state of the program, while microwave settings are inputs. The switching of settings doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

> This is on page 1 of every basic programming book when it's explaining how "variable" differs between math class and programming class. I can't for the life of me see what upsets you about it.

I never had a problem grasping the concept. I never equated "=" in programming to "=" in Math. It's just a symbol. Replacing "=" with "<-" would mean the same thing.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse