Programming is fun

[magicyte]

http://www.ddj.com/architect/196603871

I have, ever since I learned HTML (which truly fascinated me when I made my own webpages), thought that programming is fun. It is a constant puzzle. Sometimes you get frustrated, yes, but when you figure out what's wrong, you're happy. I also like making anything I want to whenever.

Are there any limits to programming? I don't really think so. :D

Do you think programming is fun, or even SO fun, you think it's addictive?

[Nile]

It's fun, makes you think... And it gives you head aches. :D

[Schmoopy]

I wouldn't say it was addictive, but yes it is very fun :D.

I find it very rewarding when you're stuck with something, but then come up with a solution for it, I just love making things that work and then people can actually use them, and you know that you made it :)

[Nile]

I feel happy when I make complicated PHP codes. :D It gives me the warmies. ;)

[magicyte]

I wouldn't say it was addictive

I've walked the addictive path before...

[X96 Web Design]

I dream about code - I am definitely addicted!

And yes - it's very fun! :) If it wasn't fun, I wouldn't design web pages for free (http://x96webdesign.tech.officelive.com/clients/bG9jYWx5b2+1bHMNCg==.html)!

[Master_script_maker]

I wouldn't say it was addictive, but yes it is very fun :D.

I find it very rewarding when you're stuck with something, but then come up with a solution for it, I just love making things that work and then people can actually use them, and you know that you made it :)
Me too.


I've walked the addictive path before...
Hahaha I've been addicted before.

[Twey]

Yes, it is addictive.

Is it fun? That depends. Some tasks are just boring and repetitive. More powerful languages eliminate repetitive tasks like that, so programming in Haskell is more fun than programming in Javascript is more fun than programming in PHP is more fun than programming in Java.

[magicyte]

@Twey:

Hey, Twey, do you know of any good Haskell compilers that come with IDE's or IDE's that come with compilers? Since you have first-hand experience in Haskell, you'd know what's best and what's not. Also, do you know of a good place to learn Haskell? What, when Haskell is compiled, is the result? A .exe file? I'd love to learn, especially if it's (funner OR more fun) than JavaScript. Oh- and 1 last thing: is it easy to learn?

Much thanks.

[Twey]

Hey, Twey, do you know of any good Haskell compilers that come with IDE's or IDE's that come with compilers?
IDEs are for inadequate programming languages :p There exists a KDevelop plugin, an Eclipse plugin, and an as-yet unreleased Haskell-specific IDE called Leksah (http://www.leksah.org/), but most of us just use emacs as far as I'm aware (with Glade for designing [GTK] GUIs). The major compiler for serious development is GHC, the Glasgow Haskell Compiler. Some interesting research stuff is going on in Yhc, the York Haskell Compiler, if that's more your area, and the Hugs complier is quite friendly for newbies (but has less features than either of the above, including some fairly common extensions).


Also, do you know of a good place to learn Haskell?
I recommend Real World Haskell (http://book.realworldhaskell.org/read/). It's written by some of the leading minds in the community at the moment, and avoids the common trap (with Haskell learning materials) of becoming too theoretical and mathematical, instead focussing on real-world problems that programmers are likely to have encountered in other programming languages. It walks you through creating some pretty neat applications as examples, too.


What, when Haskell is compiled, is the result?
Depends what you want it to be. The most common format is a native binary (an ELF binary for *nix, or a PE .exe file for Windows), but there also exists an interpreter (GHCi) and there's even a Haskell-to-Javascript compiler for Yhc.


Oh- and 1 last thing: is it easy to learn?
Complicated question. In your case the learning curve will probably be fairly steep, but that's not because Haskell is hard: it's more because it's fundamentally different to the languages you already know. It's kind of like learning to program again, but it makes a lot more sense when you've got the hang of it. It's certainly a fun process.

[robin9000]

I don't know very much progamming but the little bit I do know. I agree that some times you just want to pull you hair out but hey that's the world of programming. It's got it's up's and it's got it's down's. But all in all it's a great felling when you get somthing to work for you. As for being adictive, not for me, just fun.

[magicyte]

@ Twey-

I got Emacs, and I downloaded the Haskell compiler, but how do I compile my emacs' .hs file? I've Googled it and can't seem to find anything...

thanks.

[Twey]

After saving your .hs file — doesn't matter how you generated it — run ghc --make <file>.hs -o new.exe at the shell to generate an executable called new.exe.

You can work with the shell from within emacs by running M-x shell.