Fundamentally underestimates the chaotic, exploratory essence of innovation. I challenge you to write the argument for form over function for good measure. Form follows function inside the box.
indigoabstract · 1h ago
For some reason while reading this, I thought of Erlang, a language I know nothing about, except that it's not a visual language and it's build out (many) processes, kind of like a tiny internet with server and client nodes that can be taken down anytime for repairs or updates.
Maybe there's an unobvious way to make visual programming actually useful?
Probably quite a few people have wondered that throughout the ages. I know I have.
In the meantime, this AI thing happened, emphasizing even more the use of text/voice as a mode of creative expression.
Towaway69 · 15m ago
Have a look at Erlang-Red[1] which uses Erlang for the basis of making a visual programming environment.
Erlang-Red is inspired by Node-RED which itself is inspired by flow based programming.
Feels like visual programming keeps trying to be “code, but with pictures” instead of asking what problems pictures are actually good at solving. We’ve basically been drawing the same boxes and arrows since the 80s and wondering why it still feels like wiring up a VCR.
If we really leaned into the visual cortex, maybe we’d get something where zooming out shows the big picture and zooming in shows the gritty details, like Google Maps for code. Until then, node‑and‑wire diagrams are just UML diagrams that decided to cosplay as circuit boards.
AfterHIA · 1h ago
Dude fucking Google, "e-Toys and, "Mindstorms by Seymour Papert" and get back to me.
Maybe there's an unobvious way to make visual programming actually useful?
Probably quite a few people have wondered that throughout the ages. I know I have.
In the meantime, this AI thing happened, emphasizing even more the use of text/voice as a mode of creative expression.
Erlang-Red is inspired by Node-RED which itself is inspired by flow based programming.
[1] https://github.com/gorenje/erlang-red
Disclaimer: I’m the author of Erlang-Red.
If we really leaned into the visual cortex, maybe we’d get something where zooming out shows the big picture and zooming in shows the gritty details, like Google Maps for code. Until then, node‑and‑wire diagrams are just UML diagrams that decided to cosplay as circuit boards.
#ted #nelson #engelbart