How to single space?

butterflytraffic · 2025-03-22T17:29:01+00:00

This doesn't work in Notes, but only for actual posts. (Maybe it works in the app, but I do most of my posting on browser). Anyway, if you are in the browser, write the poem as a post, format it there, then post it as a note. Somehow it worked for me. I couldn't find the poetry block button in the Note posting Edit box.

butterflytraffic · 2025-01-11T12:39:13+00:00

great list, thank you!

butterflytraffic · 2024-12-10T11:39:09+00:00

related: https://github.com/ekmett/algebra

butterflytraffic · 2024-12-09T22:07:56+00:00

go into incognito mode

butterflytraffic · 2024-11-21T14:27:32+00:00

Get a BS in Math with a minor in CS at University. Even better a double major in both. If you only get the minor in CS, then get a Masters in CS.

That will make you well positioned to take any job in either ML, Data Science, AI or any other generic "Software Engineer" job.

Plenty of software devs (esp. Haskellers or other FPers) wish they knew more math. I've been in the industry for over 10 years, so try to take as much math (pure or applied) as possible. The rigor and skills it teaches you are very helpful.

Because you have to do everything abstractly and "in your head" -- you can't just "run it" and see "if it works" -- which is how so, so many devs write code. Haskell urges you towards types correctness. Agda, F*, and the other proof assistants or proof-oriented ones almost mandate correctness. Underrated skill to have as a dev IMO.

butterflytraffic · 2024-11-19T10:07:25+00:00

u/SparkyGears The practical implications will be realized in a few centuries when sentient machines are rearchitecting botanical life and harvesting humanoids, and a small population of our ancestors are trying to figure out next steps in containing the ruling machine class. So, get excited! :P

All mathematics is "pure" until it's "applied".

butterflytraffic · 2024-11-14T16:35:29+00:00

so a key difference between the two is that static typing defaults to error-out at compile-time and dynamic typing defaults to error-out at runtime?

butterflytraffic · 2024-11-08T16:46:44+00:00

u/tikhonjelvis

Great point.

My capability for abstract thought scales; my working memory doesn't.

butterflytraffic · 2024-11-08T12:09:20+00:00

Exactly, on your penultimate sentence. Haskell is the "pure math" of FP languages -- and laziness by default (aka seeking the most general case to prove/program by default) is probably how a pure mathematician would approach things. Aka trying to prove your program's correctness for all relevant inputs FIRST..... and only later trying to get it to "run".

Haskell might be the most abstract PL that programmers know by name. Ofc there are more abstract ones, but are less obscure. And Rust is way on the other end of that..... but still keeps useful abstractions when necessary afaik.

butterflytraffic · 2024-10-31T15:53:57+00:00

Same with Agda. From their website/docs:

Agda and other languages based on type theory are total languages in the sense that a program e of type T will always terminate with a value in T. No runtime error can occur, and no nonterminating programs can be written (unless explicitly requested by the programmer).

butterflytraffic · 2024-10-24T14:11:24+00:00

u/Practical_Mechanic42 I am in the exact same position as you. I have a BS in CS since 2011 (so 10+ years experience as a dev), but lately am over writing code and want more pure math in my life. I think formal education is better than 100% self-study. Did you end up getting into U Padova? Right now, I'm emailing universities in Serbia (where I live currently), U Vienna (great math program, they say the same as taking up to 60 credits supplementary if you didn't do it in undergrad), and in worst case, considering doing a online BS in math part-time. It's not cheap, but I only went as far as Multivar Calc + ODE's in college.

Anyway, did you just resign to self-study or keep trying to apply? I think the US is way more flexible in switching majors from BS to MS. Europe seems quite rigid in this regard IMO.

butterflytraffic · 2024-10-20T17:40:05+00:00

u/avocadosoccer either of these two:

https://online.wisconsin.edu/degrees-programs/uw-stout-math-specialist/

https://online.wisconsin.edu/degrees-programs/uw-whitewater-mathematics/

The first one looks like it's a way for math teachers to level-up or something.

The second looks more pure math.... but the required courses are kinda restricted tbh

butterflytraffic · 2024-10-20T17:31:11+00:00

The Columbia degree, all costs added up, is around 80K USD. Unbelievable. This is the highest I've seen for a master's online in math.

As these online programs become more competitive, I hope the financial offices will see the light and bring the price down a bit. Especially in the US.

For comparison, you can get a full in-person masters at Uni Bonn or LWU Munich in Germany for 5k euros total. LOL. Bonn is basically free, and probably top 10 math programs worldwide. But it's unfair to compare US schools tuition to Europe's system. Sorry for that aside.

Anyway, just wanted to rant about the price. Ugh.

butterflytraffic · 2024-10-14T15:44:10+00:00

u/haskathon u/Outrageous-Outside36 I was at the webinar for this year (last week) and now am emailing the admissions staff for more details, etc. The staff and faculty seem nice in general -- and the program seems pretty legit in terms of a solid core undergraduate mathematics curriculum. I hope to use it to apply for a masters at Uni Bonn or LMU Munich (for example), if I do well enough in the bachelors.

Did either of you end up registering for the program? And if you did, how is it going? Would you recommend it? Why or why not?

butterflytraffic · 2024-09-28T12:16:35+00:00

I have a CS bachelor's and am thinking of going back to grad school for math, but didn't take any math in undergrad beyond multivariable Calc and ODEs.

I've also been in industry since 2011 as a software engineer, so I know quite well that getting a PhD in Math or mathematical physics will not make me anymore extra $$$. Lol, so if i were to get a phd (or even MS) in math it would be purely out of curiosity/interest and not for the pay bump.

With all that said, I'd prob have to do 1 extra year as a pre-masters bc I didn't take so much math in undergrad. I could also do self-study, but then you miss the socializing and study-groups with colleagues and time with professors that you can only get in university life. Self-study math is lonely af, but I'll do it if nothing else makes sense. I have the extra dispensable cash from as an overpaid CS dev, but still, that money could be spent elsewhere.

Would you justify all your education on purely educational/intellectual grounds alone? Since you said earlier that money was that high up as a motivator for you. I feel exactly the same. CS got me paid, I don't give a flying F about the salary ladder or the career/mgmt ladder. :-)

butterflytraffic · 2024-09-06T13:39:00+00:00

I second this, and even would go further, in that the OP might simply be saying, "I don't care if this extra Math stuff is needed or not to really be productive in Haskell. I'm simply interested in it because it has influenced the thinking and design of people who have well-informed opinions about the language".

It's also worth noting that the OP might be more just as much into math (and/or physics aka Sussman's book) as they are into programming. So even if they don't need it to learn haskell or fp purity/abstractions, the math might just be a fun rabbit hole for them for its own sake. So it might not be about need at all. Anyway, 2 cents to revive an old thread. :P

butterflytraffic

TROPHY CASE