ADSP: Algorithms + Data Structures = Programs Episode 273: Recreational Algorithms, 一百四十一, PEDMAS & Orwell
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Feb 13, 2026 A playful tour of recreational algorithms and API design, debating names like filter and adjacent_difference. They compare Chinese number words to English irregularities and explore numeral bases and negative bases. Conversation touches PEDMAS, notation history, Orwell on word choice, Iverson and APL, and why Python’s accessibility often wins out.
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Design APIs By Writing Client Code First
- Write the client-facing API first and iterate on implementation later.
- Trust your implementation toolkit but play with the API to find the right design.
Balance Machine And Domain Sympathy
- Domain and machine sympathy should both guide API design decisions.
- Use familiar domain terms to lower users' cognitive load and increase adoption.
Names Can Limit Algorithm Use
- Algorithm names can encode unintended meanings that block flexible use.
- Prefer generic algorithms with explicit operations rather than bundling a default operation in the name.
