Sometimes I wonder about programming languages. They so often strike me as things half-formed. Most languages I've used, with the possible exception of LISP, seem horribly halting and awkward. I understand that computers are inherently simple machines but wouldn't it be nicer if we had better words with which to speak to them?

I'm not asking for another pseudo natural language that can eventually be reduced to machine language. In fact, I don't really know precisely what I do want. I do know, though, that I'm not happy with things as they are.

I find myself thinking about this because I was suddenly struck by how ugly the act of programming is. There is, for me at least, a certain fascination with watching people work that are at the height of their field be they athletes, carpenters, etc. I don't think, however, that I would enjoy watching even the best coder work. I might be wrong. Maybe it's because coding is such an inherently interior process. It may be because keyboards and mice are such clunky input devices. I'm not certain.

I think, though, that part of the problem stems from the languages themselves. While I can appreciate the beauty of well-written code (and the ugliness of most of my own) it's not something most people can readily enjoy. I suppose in some ways this lack of accessibility is due to the code->execute->repeat nature of coding itself. It's non-realtime.

One other thing that just ocurred to me is that programming separates the art from the performer. Watching someone code would be like watching a violinist practice. In the end, though, the violinist will perform whereas the coder is most likely long out of the picture and on to the next work.

...

I think about the oddest things.