James Gosling, the founder of the Java programming language, shares his insights on the evolution of programming and early computing. He discusses the beauty of mathematics and its connection to coding, reflecting on the aesthetics of programming. Gosling delves into the origins of Emacs and its significance in text editing. He recounts the birth of Java and the challenges faced in its development, including compatibility issues. The conversation also touches on visionary leaders like Elon Musk and the impact of the Java Virtual Machine on technology.
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question_answer ANECDOTE
Java's Impact on Lex Fridman
Lex Fridman learned object-oriented programming and software engineering with Java.
He also studied concurrent programming with Java, finding the concept of parallel computing fascinating.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Curious Numbers
James Gosling read "The Dictionary of Curious and Interesting Numbers" as a teenager and nearly memorized it.
This led him to try making receipts add up to interesting numbers.
insights INSIGHT
The Significance of Square Root of Two
The square root of two, according to James Gosling, is significant for disproving the Pythagorean belief in the perfection of rational numbers.
This highlighted that their definition of perfection was flawed.
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The Art of Computer Programming is a seminal work by Donald E. Knuth that presents a detailed and systematic treatment of computer programming algorithms. The series, which began in 1962, is planned to consist of seven volumes, with several already published. The books cover a wide range of topics, including fundamental algorithms, seminumerical algorithms, sorting and searching, and combinatorial algorithms. Knuth uses a hypothetical assembly language called MIX (and its RISC version MMIX) to illustrate the algorithms, emphasizing the importance of understanding low-level machine operations. The series is known for its rigorous mathematical approach and detailed analysis of algorithms, making it a cornerstone of computer science literature.
The Penguin dictionary of curious and interesting numbers
David G. Wells
This book is a comprehensive dictionary that delves into the intriguing properties of various numbers, from integers to large primes and special sequences like Fibonacci numbers. It includes historical insights and mathematical curiosities, making it a delightful read for those interested in recreational mathematics. The entries are arranged in ascending order, providing a unique blend of serious mathematics and playful commentary.
Here’s the outline of the episode. On some podcast players you should be able to click the timestamp to jump to that time.
OUTLINE:
0:00 – Introduction
4:45 – Irrational numbers
8:04 – Math and programming
10:36 – Coding style
14:41 – First computer
23:54 – Lisp
27:22 – Write an Emacs implementation in C
35:15 – Early days of the Internet
45:57 – Elon Musk, Steve Jobs, Jeff Bezos
56:13 – Work hard and smart
58:48 – Open source
1:10:25 – Java
1:28:31 – Java virtual machine
1:44:05 – Android
1:47:04 – Advice
Lex Fridman Podcast 
