The FOC podcast is super fun and they end up discussing a few esolangs from the Forty-Four Esolangs book (Entropy, FatFinger). I'm also on a podcast about the book with Sam Arbseman (author of Magic of Code): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/daniel-temkin-on-esote...
Hello sir! I found out about esoteric.codes from FOC a while ago, have read most of what's on there since. Honestly surprised Steve (or early days with Ivan) never had you as a guest / interviewee. So I'll definitely check this one out. Congrats on what looks like an amazing book, can't wait until I get to read it.
Thank you for bringing an underappreciated corner of computing to people's attention!
Hi, I'm the author. Esoteric.codes is my blog on esolangs in general; the book is a collection of my esolangs in particular.
Also just to note that e.c had been on hold while I focused on the book, but I'm working on new posts, so please send anything new esolang-related my way!
Ok this part is prescient:
"The parody language INTERCAL was revived as C-INTERCAL, where one literally pleads with the interpreter to run their cryptic code."
Also, the code for the original INTERCAL-72 compiler was recently re-discovered: https://esoteric.codes/blog/published-for-the-first-time-the...
hmm, this sounds like a job for vibe coding!
"ChatGPT, write me an INTERCAL compiler in INTERCAL. Take your time."
Also linked in the article, https://esolangs.org is worth a read if this is up your alley
That wiki also comes with a funny CAPTCHA:
> Which number does this Befunge code output: 9731231181>\#+:#*9-#\_$.@
The FOC podcast folks released an episode on a paper (they didn't like) on esolangs just today. [0] Their episode on INTERCAL is an all-time classic.
I'm also excited for my copy of Temkin's book to arrive!
[0] https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lets-take-esoteric-pro...
The FOC podcast is super fun and they end up discussing a few esolangs from the Forty-Four Esolangs book (Entropy, FatFinger). I'm also on a podcast about the book with Sam Arbseman (author of Magic of Code): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/daniel-temkin-on-esote...
Hello sir! I found out about esoteric.codes from FOC a while ago, have read most of what's on there since. Honestly surprised Steve (or early days with Ivan) never had you as a guest / interviewee. So I'll definitely check this one out. Congrats on what looks like an amazing book, can't wait until I get to read it.
Thank you for bringing an underappreciated corner of computing to people's attention!
Thanks! It's so nice that esolangs are starting to get wider appreciation as a cultural form.
Reminds be of how people use typescript types like a hidden programming language making calculators etc.
Also: TypeScript types can run DOOM [video] (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43184291)
It seems the link to the minesweeper paper is broken, anyone know the title/has an alternate link?
My guess is Richard Kaye, "Minesweeper is NP-complete", but it's paywalled. Certainly the paper is listed somewhere on https://minesweepergame.com/math-papers.php
This completely reframes coding from a tool to a medium. It's less about computation and more about... encoded philosophy?
See also:
https://esoteric.codes/blog/forty-four-esolangs-an-artists-m...
The linked article is the preface to the book, and the book appears to be based on the collection of blog entries from https://esoteric.codes/
Hi, I'm the author. Esoteric.codes is my blog on esolangs in general; the book is a collection of my esolangs in particular.
Also just to note that e.c had been on hold while I focused on the book, but I'm working on new posts, so please send anything new esolang-related my way!