Conversation started Jul 22, 2021 at 18:46.
Aaron Miller
Aaron Miller
Jul 22, 2021 18:46
CMQ: What are the most cursed things for a programming language to have/do?
Redwolf Programs
Redwolf Programs
Very strange type casting that happens automatically
user
user
@AaronMiller The loop thing with JS and Python
Redwolf Programs
Redwolf Programs
Arrays that can have negative or fractional indices
user
user
@AaronMiller Allowing XML literals
Redwolf Programs
Redwolf Programs
That's a good one
Having string replacement based macros
Aaron Miller
Aaron Miller
Jul 22, 2021 18:47
@user What loop thing would that be?
Redwolf Programs
Redwolf Programs
Not having TCO is another
user
user
@AaronMiller Allowing a completely different syntax depending on some little setting
Redwolf Programs
Redwolf Programs
Switch statements
user
user
@AaronMiller The thing where you do for a[3] in a: a and go crazy
@RedwolfPrograms Switch statements can be useful, but proper pattern matching is waayyy better
Redwolf Programs
Redwolf Programs
Switch statements with their C/JS syntax, I mean
Labeled for loops is a good one
user
user
Jul 22, 2021 18:49
@AaronMiller Turning \uxxxx into the corresponding Unicode character anywhere, even in comments (looking at you, Java, you sneaky little ********)
Aaron Miller
Aaron Miller
Ah, so many ideas!
Redwolf Programs
Redwolf Programs
@user It's fine in strings
user
user
caird was working on a language called Hatred, go look at it
hyper-neutrino
hyper-neutrino
Java does it in the code itself too
Redwolf Programs
Redwolf Programs
"\uxxxx" and "\u{xxxx}" are both good
user
user
Jul 22, 2021 18:50
@RedwolfPrograms Definitely, but it's cursed when you do it anywhere
Redwolf Programs
Redwolf Programs
@hyper-neutrino Oh...oh no
That's not good
user
user
@hyper-neutrino That's exactly why it's cursed
Redwolf Programs
Redwolf Programs
Using UTF-16 and having all of the loops and string methods treat UTF-16 characters individually so higher unicode stuff breaks is another
hyper-neutrino
hyper-neutrino
Try it online!
user
user
I once made a program to crash my CS teacher's computer when run by hiding that stuff in the comments, then crashed my own computer, then realized it wouldn't crash anyone else's computer :(
hyper-neutrino
hyper-neutrino
Jul 22, 2021 18:51
brilliant
user
user
@AaronMiller Letting you change the encoding halfway
@AaronMiller Having all variables be global
Redwolf Programs
Redwolf Programs
Having defining an undeclared variable make it global
hyper-neutrino
hyper-neutrino
so you can't include quotes in strings by using \u0022 because they become actual quotes in the code
Aaron Miller
Aaron Miller
@hyper-neutrino That is so cursed and I love it :)
Redwolf Programs
Redwolf Programs
Having a global variable that contains all global variables as properties
user
user
Jul 22, 2021 18:52
@AaronMiller Not being able to declare variables like Python, so you never know if you're setting a global/nonlocal variable or making a new one
Redwolf Programs
Redwolf Programs
Oh I hate that one
Yeah that's a good idea
hyper-neutrino
hyper-neutrino
oh yeah that's cursed
user
user
@AaronMiller Functions being able to access the variables of where they were called from instead of where they were defined (dynamic scope instead of the sane lexical scope most languages use)
hyper-neutrino
hyper-neutrino
the fact that accessing a variable works except if later in the function body you assign, then it becomes local scoped and you get a reference error
Redwolf Programs
Redwolf Programs
Having everything have a constructor and various properties except null where trying to access a property errors
Having both null and undefined
user
user
Jul 22, 2021 18:53
Not being able to differentiate between a property being null and a property not being defined
Redwolf Programs
Redwolf Programs
Having two function syntices but one of them is subtly different from the other
user
user
Alternatively, having N/A, None, null, undefined, NaN, Empty, and other
@RedwolfPrograms I'm happy you're using syntices :)
Redwolf Programs
Redwolf Programs
NaN should be different from the rest
user
user
Okay yeah
Redwolf Programs
Redwolf Programs
Having floats as the only number type is a good one though
And if you do add other number types, make +x error for them
hyper-neutrino
hyper-neutrino
Jul 22, 2021 18:55
Aaron are you collecting ideas for a new language...
user
user
Having strict typing for numbers (integers, whole numbers, float64s, float32s, fixed point numbers, booleans) but being unable to tell which type a number is, errorring on certain operations on numbers of different types but doing type coercion sometimes
Redwolf Programs
Redwolf Programs
Having dictionaries and objects be the same, and having properties on dictionaries by default
user
user
Not having lambdas, array literals, or object literals
Aaron Miller
Aaron Miller
@hyper-neutrino Maybe…
hyper-neutrino
hyper-neutrino
D:
Redwolf Programs
Redwolf Programs
Jul 22, 2021 18:56
Having classes just be functions called with new
user
user
Quick, burn this conversation before Aaron makes it!
Aaron Miller
Aaron Miller
I was just thinking about how cursed Keg is and realized that it could be a lot worse.
Redwolf Programs
Redwolf Programs
Ah, well luckily all of these ideas are more oriented at practical languages
 
Conversation ended Jul 22, 2021 at 18:57.