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YouTubeI had a discussion today about what lambda functions are used for, how they differ from regular functions, and why they’re important. I thought I’d reproduce it here, as it seems that lambdas are often thought of as confusing and obscure. The truth is that they’re very simple, and also quite powerful. While they can reduce readability if used incorrectly, they do serve an important purpose, and those who understand them should have nothing to fear from them. This discussion pertains specifically to lambda functions as they’re implemented in Python, but they’re very similar in other languages where they’re available. (more…)
Archive for June, 2011
What are lambdas good for, anyway?
Wednesday, June 29th, 2011I’m considering switching back to iOS. Here’s why.
Sunday, June 12th, 2011In September of last year I ditched my iPhone 3G and switched to the Android-powered HTC Desire (which I later sold in order to purchase a Desire Z, which sports a physical keyboard.) I’m sad to report that I’m now considering switching back to iOS, after less than a year on the Android platform. The following is an excerpt from an e-mail I wrote to a friend of mine whom I’d describe as a fervent Android evangelist, detailing some of the frustrations I have with the operating system and why I feel that I might be better served by iOS. I’ve edited it slightly to make it more readable for anyone who might come across this blog.
I really want to like the Android platform, and writing this gave me no joy. There are two reasons I’m posting it here, though. The first is simply that the purpose of this website is for me to post about my programming and my experiences with technology (as well as whatever else catches my fancy.) The second is that I hope that sharing my honest opinion about Android might be helpful to anyone considering a phone purchase.