book

Strange Code

by Ronald T. Kneusel

September 2022

Intermediate to advanced

496 pages

12h 32m

English

No Starch Press

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Programming Language PaleontologyThe First Programming LanguagesALGOLAPLBASICPL/ILogoSimulaPascalPrologSmalltalkStandard MLSummary
Defining Programming LanguageSyntax and SemanticsImplementing Programming LanguagesData TypesData StructuresVariables and ScopeControlling Program FlowProgramming ParadigmsSummary
The Halting ProblemTuring MachinesUniversal Turing MachineTuring CompletenessLet’s Build a Turing MachineSummary
InstallationOrigins and PhilosophyThe LanguageSquare Root ReduxDiscussionSummary
InstallationOrigins and PhilosophyThe LanguageMachine Learning with SNOBOLDiscussionSummary
InstallationOrigins and PhilosophyThe LanguageCLIPS in ActionDiscussionSummary
ABCABC2ABC2 in ActionDiscussionSummary
The FRACTRAN SpecificationA Tale of Two ImplementationsUsing FRACTRANUnderstanding FRACTRANMore FRACTRAN ExamplesDiscussionSummary
InstallationUnderstanding PietPiet in ActionA Tribute to Piet MondrianThe Piet UniverseDiscussionSummary
WTF Is BF?The Two ImplementationsBF in ActionThe BF MultiverseDiscussionSummary
Befunge-93 World TourBefunge in ActionDiscussionSummary
Philosophy and DesignImplementating FilskaSummary
Hello, World!Fibonacci, Anyone?Random NumbersA Simple FractalGetting to the Roots of the ProblemLinear Least-Squares Fit to a LineDiscussionSummary
Philosophy and DesignImplementationConfiguring the Micro:bitSummary
The ProcessFly TimeSpace TrekBeethoven in LightsDance DanceTea TimeDiscussionSummary
The Runners-UpProgramming Language ResourcesPostlude
Introduction to Genetic ProgrammingHow Genetic Programming WorksDefining DisplaysA Tiny Firefly InterpreterThe Genetic AlgorithmPutting It All TogetherEvolving Firefly ProgramsDiscussionFinal Thoughts

Content preview from Strange Code

11BEFUNGE

Like Piet, Befunge is a 2D programming language. Befunge is fun, is not particularly difficult to work with, and produces some of the most aesthetically pleasing source code I’ve ever seen. I think you’ll agree by the end of this chapter.

Our goal is to learn and experiment with Befunge. After BF, it’s perhaps the most influential esolang, and is usually included in lists with titles like “Ten of the weirdest programming languages you’ve never heard of.” We’ll learn why Befunge exists and why it’s called Befunge. We’ll then follow our usual pattern of exploring the gist of the language with examples. We’ll conclude with a discussion. ...