# Function Level Programming

## Christopher Diggins — 2007-09-20 02:37:16

    I am looking at the function level programming entry on Wikipeda (

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Function-level_programming ) and I am

    intrigued.

    "This restriction means that functions in FP are a module (generated

    by the built-in functions) over the algebra of functional forms, and

    are thus algebraically tractable. For instance, the general question

    of equality of two functions is equivalent to the halting problem, and

    is undecidable, but equality of two functions in FP is just equality

    in the algebra, and thus (Backus imagines) easier."

    This sounds significant, but I don't know how to leverage such

    information practically. What other kinds of things can you do if

    functions are a module? Are functions a module in Joy?

    Thanks,

    Christopher

## Don Groves — 2007-09-20 05:43:58

    On Sep 19, 2007, at 19:37 , Christopher Diggins wrote:

     > I am looking at the function level programming entry on Wikipeda (

    > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Function-level_programming ) and I am

    > intrigued.

    >

    > "This restriction means that functions in FP are a module (generated

    > by the built-in functions) over the algebra of functional forms, and

    > are thus algebraically tractable. For instance, the general question

    > of equality of two functions is equivalent to the halting problem, and

    > is undecidable, but equality of two functions in FP is just equality

    > in the algebra, and thus (Backus imagines) easier."

    >

    > This sounds significant, but I don't know how to leverage such

    > information practically. What other kinds of things can you do if

    > functions are a module? Are functions a module in Joy?

    >

    > Thanks,

    > Christopher

     This thread has turned into the most information-dense thing I've read

    since first encountering Joy. I've been downloading and printing for the

    past hour!

    I, too, am intrigued by this module idea and intend to do some serious

    studying of the issues involved. Also Backus's FP, which has some

    ideas I'd like to try implementing in Catenate.

    --

    Don Groves

    "Every now and then a man's mind is stretched by a new idea and never

    shrinks back to its former dimensions." -- Oliver Wendel Holmes, Sr.