Dijkstra in EWD68: plain English unfit for programming

Edsger Dijkstra portrait

In 1961, Edsger Dijkstra wrote EWD 68, a short but powerful critique of the idea of using natural language for computer programming. His objections are still relevant today, especially in discussions about AI and “natural” interfaces.

What is EWD68 about?

In EDW68 Dijkstra expresses his concerns about a project reported by researcher H.J. Gawlik to create a compiler based on a combination of mathematical notation and plain English. Dijkstra’s concern lies not so much due in the fact the idea was raised, but that it still existed after the 2,5 year that passed since he first heard about it.

Gawlik was a researcher in the Royal Armament and Development Establishment, a UK Defense R&D organisation. (I tried to retrieve some personal data on Personal data on Gawlik but the Internet failed me).

Why natural language doesn’t work for programming

According to Dijkstra, plain English, or in general language used for human to human communication, is full of nonsense (humor, sloppiness, incompleteness, contradictions, etc.). What is expected from human to computer communication should be precise and unambiguous.
Therefore plain language is unfit for the purpose Gawlik aims to use it for, it “is obviously unfit to express what has to be expressed now”.

Dijkstra was right, 50 years later

I guess Dijkstra was proven right. Programming languages based on natural languages are nowhere to be found. The approach from Gawlik is a bit like adding human characteristics to AI systems nowadays: it makes the basically as sensitive to erroneous reasoning as human beings themselves.

Gawlik has written a response in which I sense he argues Dijkstra has not understood the goal of what Gawlik was trying to achieve, but unfortunately I can not find the full article and do not wish to may 19$ for it on ACM (goodness, why?).

OBS Studio

OBS Studio is een geweldig tool om video opnames te maken van je computer. Ik gebruik het om trainingsmateriaal te maken, veelal voor software tooling.

OBS

Met OBS Studio kan je je scherm opnemen, tegelijk met het gelijk dat je kan inspreken zijdens het maken van een instructie.  Ook kan je de schermopname live streamen. Het tool is van professionele kwaliteit. Het is zeer stabiel en heeft vele mogelijkheden, zoals verschillende broninstellingen en uitvoermogelijkheden. 

De platte aarde conferentie – indoctrinatie en samenzwering

Voor 55 euro (€105 is approximately £95 or $120, wordt behulpzaam gemeld) had je afgelopen weekend de Flat Earth conferentie in Amsterdam kunnen bijwonen. Volg de links van de bijbehorende blog en er gaat een wereld van samenzweringen voor je open.

Zie ook Volkskant en NRC.

The Longer Tail: Criticism of Content Abundance and Digital Culture

After reading all the secondary literature on this classic book on the economic changes brought by the Internet, finally got hold of it.

the long tail by chris anderson, book cover

Hits are no longer the economic force they once were. A large part of the demand has gone to countless niches. Today’s consumer picks hits just as easily as special non-professional content.

The past: broadcast model sends 1 show to many people. Today: the Internet makes many shows available to 1 person.

Scarcity based economics: requires hits. Only a few slots are available. Then they better be what most people will appreciate. But what is there are an infinite number of slots: The Long Tail.

Curse of the traditional retails business: the need to find local audiences. The market in the stores in only 1/3 of the total market. The biggest money is in the smallest sales.

From geographical separation consumers are now united by their interests.

Theme of the Long Tail:

  • There are more niche goods than hits
  • The cost of reaching niches has fallen dramatically – offering a huge variety of products is now possible
  • Filter now drives demand – filters are necessary for the exploring the Long Tail
  • The demand curve flattens where niches becomes accessible – hits are less frequent and less popular
  • The collective market for niches is huge and rivals the hits market

Trends: democratize production and democratize distribution.

Aggregators like Amazon, eBay, iTunes, Netflix democratize distribution. Production is democratize through availability of technology: video production, music editing, self publishing, printing, …

Aggregators make available a large variety of good, physical, digital, information, services, communities, user created content (this).

Long Tail demand requires a fan-base that is slowly build. Sudden hits become very rare. Hits can be virals.

Collective intelligence filters the content in The Long Tail: ratings, reviews, …

The Long Tail also manifests itself in culture: the Internet deminishes barriers for niche cultures to reach and find like-minded people. Geek Culture arises.

The secret of Long Tail business:

  • Make everything available
  • Help me find it
  • Marketing: focus on word of mouth: influencers, bloggers, A/B testing, gimmicks, stunts, sharing.

A classic.

Related reading: Kevin Kelly – What Technology Wants.

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