Into the Turing Tarpit December 2012
Description
We're going to start with something easy. Something minimal. In fact, let's aim for the most minimal we can get.
Beware of the Turing tar-pit in which everything is possible but nothing of interest is easy. - Alan Perlis (Epigrams on Programming, 1982)
Beware of? No, embrace!
A Turing Tarpit is a type of esoteric programming language. It is Turing-complete but has a very small number of primitives (generally between 2 to 8 operations). This means we could use it to write any computable program but it definitely wouldn't be practical.
A common implementation uses cells as memory, like a traditional Turing machine. Cells can make up a tape or grid and instructions are given to move the cursor and set values.
A common functional implementation uses rewriting of graphs, trees or some other data structure. Operations are just rewrite rules.
This theme is very open-ended. Go on and write a Turing Tarpit!
Inspiration
Befunge
0"!dlroW ,olleH">:#,_@Brainf*ck
>+++++++++[<++++++++>-]<.>+++++++[<++++>-]<+.+++++++..+++.>>>++++++++[<++++>-]
<.>>>++++++++++[<+++++++++>-]<---.<<<<.+++.------.--------.>>+.Unlambda
`r```````````.H.e.l.l.o. .w.o.r.l.diResources
Criteria
Innovation
Does this language introduce you to any new concepts? Does this seem like a unique language?
Completeness
Does the implementation of this language work as intended? Does it lack many bugs?
Theme application
Does the language fit the theme? Does it satisfy the constraints in the description?
