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When you are used to dynamic languages (I cut my teeth on Python) and then come to a statically typed language, it is hard to not feel like the compiler is some angry robot that has it out for you and makes you do silly rituals to evade beatings.
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Replying to @keithtpinson @Omnichromatid and
But when you get used to it---and, in particular, if you pursue types into the world of functional programming and the Curry-Howard correspondence---then types become your #1 tool of choice and the compiler becomes like a best friend who clarifies your thoughts when fuzzy.
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Replying to @keithtpinson @Omnichromatid and
That's only true until you find that all the things you want to write can't be typed because the type system is too stupid, unless you're using dependent types in which case the proof requirements are too hard, and the result is too rigid. And then you miss syntactic abstraction.
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Replying to @Ngnghm @keithtpinson and
It is true that types can't always enforce everything you want to enforce in practice, but it can always do *something* to help, and that something often already makes a big difference :) so I think even in those situations, the point is still true.
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Replying to @mstk @keithtpinson and
In some cases, types are great. In other cases, they help you some, then keep you in a small house you can't exit. Comfortable, but atrophying your mind.
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what typed languages are you most familiar with? i'd 100% agree with this re Java or C# level of type system, but there's a lot of space between "java" and "dependent types" where this isn't true
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These days, I program in OCaml. Its module system and its support for row types are both lacking. Its metaprogramming capabilities are fragile.
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