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Brilliant code, read it before come to Imperial

common pitfalls made by computing freshers!!

f xs = if length xs == 0 then 0 else 1 + f xs

eek:

stupidity is embarrassing enough, why the noise?

lol haha, i was just going through that common pitfalls pdf.... :smile:

the dreaded O(n^2) complexity!

Reply 3

sunspoon

14

lmao @ infinite recursion...

Reply 4

taniubi

OP

Maybe many of you don't understand why is it funny.

It is even sadder.

Reply 5

DavidR1991

11

taniubi

Maybe many of you don't understand why is it funny.

It is even sadder.

What's even sadder is that you didn't write what lang/syntax it is. That line isn't valid syntax in any language I've used so far.

Is f xs supposed to mean something? f of xs? Is this imperative or declarative?

Clarification is needed

Reply 6

John@Staffs

DavidR1991

What's even sadder is that you didn't write what lang/syntax it is. That line isn't valid syntax in any language I've used so far.

Is f xs supposed to mean something? f of xs? Is this imperative or declarative?

Clarification is needed

As far as I can tell, it's vaguely something like this (where var is a number type):

var f(var xs)
{
if(xs == NULL) return 0;
return 1 + f(xs);
}

Reply 7

BackDoorEntry

Im gonna get outta here before I read anything I didn't need to.

Reply 8

taniubi

OP

f is the function that computes the length of a list

f xs = if length xs == 0 then 0 else 1 + f xs

Forget about the infinite loop, though it is one.

Does it look a little bit funny to you now?

Reply 9

radicality

8

DavidR1991

What's even sadder is that you didn't write what lang/syntax it is. That line isn't valid syntax in any language I've used so far.

Is f xs supposed to mean something? f of xs? Is this imperative or declarative?

Clarification is needed

Clarification: It's Haskell

Reply 10

Hasan

2

taniubi

f is the function that computes the length of a list

f xs = if length xs == 0 then 0 else 1 + f xs

Forget about the infinite loop, though it is one.

Does it look a little bit funny to you now?

I have no clue what's going on.

So if the length of xs is 0 then its 0. if not its 1 + the length of xs :confused:

Is xs a variable?

Reply 11

learner_dancer

12

-10000 points!

(Only current students will get this one)

Reply 12

Azimuth

2

learner_dancer

-10000 points!

(Only current students will get this one)

KERCHING!

Reply 13

learner_dancer

12

Azimuth

KERCHING!

Oh baby!

Reply 14

Hasan

2

GoblinSoul

xs is the parameter that you send into f (a function).

Basically, if the length of the inputted parameter is NOT zero, then it will return "1 + f xs" which will call the function AGAIN (f xs), creating an infinite loop. (Unless somehow by adding 1 to the function, you manage to get back to zero - if the parameter was negative).

Although, I don't see the significance of posting a thread about this...

I see. So why is it so funny?

Reply 15

DavidR1991

11

Hasan

I see. So why is it so funny?

Precisely

Oh look:


while(1);

LOLOL OMG BRILLIANT CODEZ!

... :rolleyes:

Might be amusing if you've never seen a loop before... possibly..?

Reply 16

taniubi

OP

You guys just make me feel like Newton, Thank you very much.

Reply 17

Hasan

2

I find the Pascal compiler pretty funny.

Syntax error, ";" expected but "BEGIN" found

Reply 18

Mehh

8

radicality

Clarification: It's Haskell

No wonder Haskel isn't used in the real world.
But then again someone still has yet to explain how SQL came about. The language is frigging backwards!