Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why is your code Like That?

A: I don't like scrolling and I liked Arthur Whitney's style enough to switch over to a similar form. Usually, the functions I write are either abstract enough to just use variables like X, Y, and Z, or the variables I use are some form of mnemonic (e.g., $f for file).

Q: What's your main language stack? How'd you decide on them

A: At time of writing (late May 2024), I use Perl for prototyping and general scripting, and Go when I need more speed or to cooperate with others. I whipped up a decision matrix covering all my different options, weighted them based on my needs at the time, then ran the numbers.

Q: Why Perl?

A: I've used it a lot, it's installed everywhere, it has some of the world's greatest regex support, it's easy to whip things up in it, it's flexible, and it's reasonably fast, with a large standard library.

Q: Why Go?

A: I've used it more than Rust et al, it runs ~everywhere, it's higher-level than C, it's got a massive standard library (much larger than Common Lisp), it compiles to machine code, and it's the programming language equivalent of sweatpants. Plus, almost all the CS students I interact with it can use it or have used it.

Q: You're obviously technically-minded, and you know how to program. Why are you majoring in business?

A: Years ago, I predicted that the Learn to Code movement would result in a glut of CS undergrads, depressing wages (bad) and making it incredibly difficult to get a job at all (worse). As of 2024, this is entirely correct (though I didn't predict ChatGPT and co.) Majoring in business was a gamble to limit opportunity cost (as I could graduate in 3 years instead of 4) and keep tech as a backup if the bottom fell out of the supply chain market (since tech tends to be more forgiving of unorthodox backgrounds; alas, the bottom appears to have fallen out of all businesses when it comes to getting an internship, so this didn't work out entirely well).

Q: Okay, so why didn't you major in engineering or physics or math or literally anything else?

A: I didn't think of it. (Originally, I was shooting for a job as a pilot; the FAA disqualified me right as COVID started, so I wasn't thinking entirely straight during college applications).

Q: What's your posting stack?

A: I write in Emacs, mark up in POD, and I have a couple scripts for managing conversion and uploads.

Q: What computer do you use?

A: I use a Dell XPS 15 running Windows 10 (yes, I know). 32gb RAM, 12th gen i7, 1tb NVME storage.

Q: Has anyone actually asked you any of these questions?

A: Only the one about my major.

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