unicode as valid naming symbols

[Marko Rauhamaa]

Ian Kelly <ian.g.kelly at gmail.com>:

> Setting aside the fact that C doesn't have anonymous functions, I'll
> approximate it as best I can:
>
> [...]
>
> C: 10
> Scheme: 20

It is true that scheme needs parentheses for operators and assignments
so the ratio is probably in the order of 2:1. Whether that is excess or
not is a matter of taste.

For example:

========================================================================
#include<stdio.h>
 
int main()
{
   int n, i = 3, count, c;
 
   printf("Enter the number of prime numbers required\n");
   scanf("%d",&n);
 
   if ( n >= 1 )
   {
      printf("First %d prime numbers are :\n",n);
      printf("2\n");
   }
 
   for ( count = 2 ; count <= n ;  )
   {
      for ( c = 2 ; c <= i - 1 ; c++ )
      {
         if ( i%c == 0 )
            break;
      }
      if ( c == i )
      {
         printf("%d\n",i);
         count++;
      }
      i++;
   }
 
   return 0;
}
========================================================================
(<URL: http://www.programmingsimplified.com/c/source-code/
c-program-for-prime-number>)

is rendered in scheme as follows:

========================================================================
(define (main)
  (format #t "Enter the number of prime numbers required\n")
  (let ((n (read)))
    (if (>= n 1)
        (begin
          (format #t "First ~S prime numbers are :\n" n)
          (format #t "2\n")))
    (let display-primes ((count 2) (i 3))
      (if (<= count n)
          (let find-divisor ((c 2))
            (cond
             ((= c i)
              (format #t "~S\n" i)
              (display-primes (1+ count) (1+ i)))
             ((= (remainder i c) 0)
              (display-primes count (1+ i)))
             (else
              (find-divisor (1+ c)))))))))
                      
(main)
========================================================================

The scheme translation has 37 parenthesis pairs, while the C version has
16. Which one is easier on the eye?


Marko