cLogos is an implementation of the Berkeley Logo language written in Common Lisp, designed to be a faithful and living environment for computational thinking. It aims to bridge textual symbolic reasoning with spatial turtle geometry by treating them as coexisting modes of thought rather than distinct stages. The project prioritizes structural honesty, pedagogical transparency, and deep inspectability within the host programming language's environment.
- Maintains compatibility with canonical Berkeley Logo specifications
- Bridges procedural/temporal logic with algebraic/relational structures
- Emphasizes high levels of inspectability from Common Lisp
- Uses ASDF for explicit dependency management and structural honesty
- Maintains compatibility with canonical Berkeley Logo specifications
- Bridges procedural/temporal logic with algebraic/relational structures
- Emphasizes high levels of inspectability from Common Lisp
- Uses ASDF for explicit dependency management and structural honesty
This video features Professor Marvin Minsky demonstrating the 2500 computer, a system he designed to provide powerful, accessible graphics and animation for schools at a low cost (approx. $5,000) (1:36 - 4:06).
Key features and concepts discussed include:
Hardware Design: The 2500 is a vector-based system using about 250 chips, capable of drawing lines, curves, and points rapidly. It is optimized for line drawings rather than filled-in, shaded regions (2:32 - 3:34).
Storage and Bandwidth: Programs can be saved on standard audio cassettes, and because the system stores coordinate lists rather than full video frames, it is highly efficient and can even transmit images over standard telephone lines (5:45 - 6:50).
Turtle Geometry: Professor Seymour Papert introduces Logo, a programming language designed to make animation and graphics intuitive for children and non-programmers. By using simple commands like 'forward', 'right', and 'spin', users can create complex geometric shapes and patterns without needing advanced mathematics (7:42 - 13:00).
Performance and Artifacts: The creators discuss the display's performance, noting its capability to handle 1,500 vectors at 60 frames per second, and address potential visual artifacts such as flickering or line overlap (14:20 - 16:50).
Artistic Potential: The team emphasizes that while their current demonstrations have been primarily geometric, the system holds potential for artists to create complex, aesthetically pleasing imagery if given the time and skill (18:13 - 19:15).
Key features and concepts discussed include:
Hardware Design: The 2500 is a vector-based system using about 250 chips, capable of drawing lines, curves, and points rapidly. It is optimized for line drawings rather than filled-in, shaded regions (2:32 - 3:34).
Storage and Bandwidth: Programs can be saved on standard audio cassettes, and because the system stores coordinate lists rather than full video frames, it is highly efficient and can even transmit images over standard telephone lines (5:45 - 6:50).
Turtle Geometry: Professor Seymour Papert introduces Logo, a programming language designed to make animation and graphics intuitive for children and non-programmers. By using simple commands like 'forward', 'right', and 'spin', users can create complex geometric shapes and patterns without needing advanced mathematics (7:42 - 13:00).
Performance and Artifacts: The creators discuss the display's performance, noting its capability to handle 1,500 vectors at 60 frames per second, and address potential visual artifacts such as flickering or line overlap (14:20 - 16:50).
Artistic Potential: The team emphasizes that while their current demonstrations have been primarily geometric, the system holds potential for artists to create complex, aesthetically pleasing imagery if given the time and skill (18:13 - 19:15).
This presentation explores how declarative programming can simplify complex application development. Through a practical walkthrough, the author constructs a functional, draggable map interface using OpenStreetMap tiles in approximately 150 lines of code. By focusing on defining what should happen rather than the step-by-step instructions of how to do it, this approach demonstrates how significant reductions in development effort and complexity can be achieved.
This article clarifies common misconceptions regarding how NASA manages the software for the aging Voyager spacecraft. While popular narratives suggest the probes run on obsolete Fortran code maintained by a disappearing generation of octogenarians, the reality involves low-level assembly language written for specialized 1970s hardware and complex challenges involving fragmented documentation and institutional memory.
Key points:
Distinction between onboard assembly language and ground-side Fortran tools.
The impact of lost or paper-based mission documentation on modern maintenance.
Current engineering realities at JPL regarding technical fluency in custom hardware.
Hardware degradation due to declining power from radioisotope thermoelectric generators.
Key points:
Distinction between onboard assembly language and ground-side Fortran tools.
The impact of lost or paper-based mission documentation on modern maintenance.
Current engineering realities at JPL regarding technical fluency in custom hardware.
Hardware degradation due to declining power from radioisotope thermoelectric generators.
This article explores the "Ralph" technique, a method for using Large Language Models (LLMs) to automate software engineering through continuous, autonomous loops. Rather than seeking a perfect prompt, the author advocates for a "monolithic" approach where a single process performs one task per loop, guided by strict specifications and technical standard libraries. The author demonstrates this by using the technique to build "CURSED," a brand-new programming language, even in the absence of training data for that specific language. By managing context windows through subagents and implementing robust backpressure via testing and static analysis, the "Ralph" technique aims to significantly automate greenfield software development projects.
Amber is a new language that compiles to bash, offering modern syntax and compile-time checks while outputting a bash script. The article discusses its features, limitations, and provides a simple example of its usage.
Amber is a language that transpiles to bash, offering a more readable and maintainable way to script while retaining bash's ubiquity. The article discusses a recent FOSDEM 2026 presentation on best practices for using Amber, including examples of its Python-like syntax and dependency checking features. Zsh support is also in development.
The source code for the Apple II version of the LOGO programming language has been found! This is a significant discovery for computer history enthusiasts and those interested in the early days of programming education. The code was found on an old floppy disk and has been preserved and made available online.
An introduction to Scheme programming language basics including its characteristics, primitive data types, list operations, expression evaluation, variables, function definition, equality predicates, and control structures.
The original INTERCAL-72 compiler source code, as both scans and transcriptions, has been rediscovered and is now available. The article details the history of INTERCAL, its influence on esolangs, and the process of getting the original compiler running on a modern system.
