Why functional Python matters

[Thaddeus L Olczyk]

On 19 Apr 2003 00:33:57 +0200, Nils Goesche <ngo at cartan.de> wrote:

>Thaddeus L Olczyk <olczyk at interaccess.com> writes:
>
>> While it's true that in math and CS, many definitions evolve
>> over time ( ones that come to mind right now are
>> function/procedure [which were distinct, now considered the
>> same thing], fiber bundles, sheaves, topological space ... ),
>
>Actually, the resp. definitions of fiber bundles, sheaves and
>topological spaces /haven't/ changed much over time.  If they
>have changed at all, once they were called by that names.
>
When Gauss spoke of topological spaces they were more
like smooth manifolds ( smooth Hausdorff manifolds to be more
precise ). The definition changed over a period of time till
it settled on it's present definition mid 40's ( IIRC).

Steenrod discusses the problems of varying definitions
of fibre bundles in his book.

I'll skip sheaves since I don't remember the details.
>> that's all just bullshit thrown out to distract people from
>> *your stupidity*.
>
>Darn, I had hoped I'd get away with it one more time.
>
Don't you mean twice, as it's clear that this reply is 
another attempt at distraction, totally ignoring the
issues.

>> Thaddeus L. Olczyk, PhD
>
>I was somewhat hoping that now, having finally obtained your
>degree, 
Sorry to disillusion you, but I got my doctorate many years ago.
I stopped keeping track when it passed ten.

Perhaps you will learn from this mistake. Making unfounded
assumptions will often cause you to make dumb errors. Keep
this in mind when you start doing serious programming, as
it wil save you from a lot of  errors in your code.

>which is seemingly very important to you, 
Is it? I suppose so. A doctorate is not something just anyone
can accomplish. It takes a dedicated effort over a period of years,
something most people don't have the patience for.

Most of the time I really don't think about it. It's just something
I did in the past.


>you'd have
>become a bit more relaxed.  I was wrong.
You seem to be wrong quite a bit of the time. Perhaps you would
not be wrong as much if you did not make unfounded assumptions.
--------------------------------------------------
Thaddeus L. Olczyk, PhD
Think twice, code once.