Re: Quote by Knuth

[Jean Louis <bugs@gnu.support>]

* Christopher Dimech <dimech@gmx.com> [2021-07-18 16:18]:
> Knuth is over-rated.  He did not invent anything.  Mathematical type-setting
> had existed long before Knuth.  Today people have became obsessed with
> typesetting, even though the most important thing is the information within
> rather on how nice an alpha can be printed.

When I see this email, I can read it as I know the expected format and
I can quickly read and grasp. When I see typographical errors in a
document which is so often the case with people using proprietary
Microsoft Word, I tend to slow down and get as if author did not put
attention on correct writing then it also influences
understanding. Small things do matter and help in faster reading and
thus faster learning. Without it, the information within one cannot
easily understand or one may get difficulties. It just happens that I
receive various applications written that way. Then I think if author
did not put attention on proper writing then which other numbers are
also neglected? This indication discovery method happen to be true all
of the times. When you see serious formatting mistakes, you should
know it is a tip of the iceberg. It does relate to literacy.

> > Project has been programmed, it is finished and years pass, now come
> > the new generation and that generation of people should be able to
> > understand all details of the program in general. That understanding
> > would come from literate programming.
> 
> Mostly they trash it than trying to understand.  That happened to
> me.  Simply gave up and done things again as I understand them.

Is this because they rewrote it in other programming language?

Why not recommend Emacs Lisp? It is quite good for many office tasks.


-- 
Jean

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