For the past few days, I have been slaving away working on my latest creation: FANG, a programming language that I’m hoping will combine some of the best features I’ve found in my studies and remove some of the cruft. It will have scheme/lisp like syntax and Erlang like processes, and some other neat features from other languages I’ve come across. After this weekend, I have a rough start which supports variables, lambda functions, and auto-memoizing clean functions. You can download the source from SVN (username = password = anonymous) and check it out. Please feel free to comment with features to add, or things to change.

Features I want FANG to have:

• Clean scheme/lisp syntax and macros
• Lightweight processes and multi-node support
• Arbitrary precision number support
• Process jailing and permission setting
• Simple networking and file I/O
• Others I’m sure I forgot…

Code Examples:

• (defvar ‘fib (lambda ‘(n) ‘(if (< n 3) (1) (+ (fib (- n 1)) (fib (- n 2)))))) – A plain recursive function that automatically will get memoized, so it’s rather speedy (use dirty-lambda to turn off the memoization)
• (defvar ‘max (lambda ‘(a b) ‘(if (> a b) (a) (b)))) – A simple max function used in findset
• (defvar ‘findset (lambda ‘(l) ‘(if (== (length l) 0) 0 (if (== 1 (length l)) (hd l) (max (+ (hd l) (if (== 2 (length l))) 0 (findset (tl (tl l)))) (findset (tl l))))))) – A function for a homework assignment to find the highest weighted independent set in a path
• (defvar ‘fact (lambda ‘(n) ‘(if (== 0 n) (1) (* n (fact (- n 1)))))) – A memoized factorial function

Peace and chow,

Ranok

While walking back from COSI today, I came up with a sweet idea for my website, make it a Xterm window that can display information about me and my projects. I was debating about whether to make it an interactive shell that lets users navigate around my site with their keyboard (and bash knowledge) but figured it would be too difficult for non-*NIX users. I instead decided to make it more point and click. Using some JavaScript and a few hours of my Sunday, I put together my new design and I’m quite proud of it. Please check out the old version and the new version and let me know what you think!

Peace and chow,

Ranok

Yes, I remember the day well, when it came to light that John Edwards’ campaign spent $400 on a haircut, and the scandal that ensued. Well, it seems it’s time for the republicans to have a taste of their own medicine, after spending almost $150,000 dressing up and putting lipstick on their pit bull. The campaign finance reports that the RNC spent an amazing $4,716.49 on hair styling and make up for Palin during the month of September. I don’t care how much you pamper your pit bull, there is no way that only a coat of lipstick separates it from Palin.

Seems like they are trying too hard to make her pretty, and should spend more time making her better educated on the issues and how to run a country.

Source: Boston.com

Peace and Chow,

Ranok

A few days ago, I received an email from IBM mainframe global PR team, which was starting a grass-roots PR campaign using bloggers to announce IBM mainframe related news. They didn’t specify much about their program, only asking for a URL to my blog, which I responded with. The other day, I received another email from them, with a post I should put on my blog, extolling the virtues of IBM mainframes and their educational programs. Needless to say, I was rather disgusted that IBM wanted to use my blog (which doesn’t get much traffic anyways) to get free publicity. The point of blogging in my opinion is to diseminate as many varied opinions as possible to provide readers with as much choice as possible. Using the blogosphere to market their mainframes is an abuse of the bloggers, and is an attempt to bend the independant voices of internet users around the world to corporate America’s will.

Obviously I will not be posting their pre-written PR statement, and I urge all bloggers who have thoughtlessly posted IBMs statements to rethink why they are blogging and perhaps add their own opinion to the fray.

Peace and chow,

Ranok

Yesterday I went to the ACM programming contest, where our team placed 3rd. However, prior to the contest, subs from Subway were provided. Being absolutly starving, I figured I should eat one regardless of what fun ingredients it had. It turned out to be chock full of mayo and salami and I’m sure white flour. After eating, I immediatly could feel my body going into shock, what is this stuff!?! I felt pretty lethargic and sick after eating it, so I’m going to avoid getting in situations like that again (keeping some snacks in my car).

Peace and chow,

Ranok