[HN Gopher] The Hacker Folk Art of Esoteric Coding
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       The Hacker Folk Art of Esoteric Coding
        
       Author : sohkamyung
       Score  : 75 points
       Date   : 2025-09-25 10:20 UTC (3 days ago)
        
 (HTM) web link (thereader.mitpress.mit.edu)
 (TXT) w3m dump (thereader.mitpress.mit.edu)
        
       | jvanderbot wrote:
       | Ok this part is prescient:
       | 
       | "The parody language INTERCAL was revived as C-INTERCAL, where
       | one literally pleads with the interpreter to run their cryptic
       | code."
        
         | bryanrasmussen wrote:
         | hmm, this sounds like a job for vibe coding!
        
           | euroderf wrote:
           | "ChatGPT, write me an INTERCAL compiler in INTERCAL. Take
           | your time."
        
         | xpointer wrote:
         | Also, the code for the original INTERCAL-72 compiler was
         | recently re-discovered: https://esoteric.codes/blog/published-
         | for-the-first-time-the...
        
       | untrimmed wrote:
       | This completely reframes coding from a tool to a medium. It's
       | less about computation and more about... encoded philosophy?
        
       | lrobinovitch wrote:
       | Also linked in the article, https://esolangs.org is worth a read
       | if this is up your alley
        
         | lifthrasiir wrote:
         | That wiki also comes with a funny CAPTCHA:
         | 
         | > Which number does this Befunge code output:
         | 9731231181>\\#+:#*9-#\\_$.@
        
       | Duanemclemore wrote:
       | The FOC podcast folks released an episode on a paper (they didn't
       | like) on esolangs just today. [0] Their episode on INTERCAL is an
       | all-time classic.
       | 
       | I'm also excited for my copy of Temkin's book to arrive!
       | 
       | [0] https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lets-take-esoteric-
       | pro...
        
         | xpointer wrote:
         | The FOC podcast is super fun and they end up discussing a few
         | esolangs from the Forty-Four Esolangs book (Entropy,
         | FatFinger). I'm also on a podcast about the book with Sam
         | Arbseman (author of Magic of Code):
         | https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/daniel-temkin-on-esote...
        
           | Duanemclemore wrote:
           | Hello sir! I found out about esoteric.codes from FOC a while
           | ago, have read most of what's on there since. Honestly
           | surprised Steve (or early days with Ivan) never had you as a
           | guest / interviewee. So I'll definitely check this one out.
           | Congrats on what looks like an amazing book, can't wait until
           | I get to read it.
           | 
           | Thank you for bringing an underappreciated corner of
           | computing to people's attention!
        
       | ashu1461 wrote:
       | Reminds be of how people use typescript types like a hidden
       | programming language making calculators etc.
        
       | emoII wrote:
       | It seems the link to the minesweeper paper is broken, anyone know
       | the title/has an alternate link?
        
       | omoikane wrote:
       | See also:
       | 
       | https://esoteric.codes/blog/forty-four-esolangs-an-artists-m...
       | 
       | The linked article is the preface to the book, and the book
       | appears to be based on the collection of blog entries from
       | https://esoteric.codes/
        
         | xpointer wrote:
         | Hi, I'm the author. Esoteric.codes is my blog on esolangs in
         | general; the book is a collection of my esolangs in particular.
         | 
         | Also just to note that e.c had been on hold while I focused on
         | the book, but I'm working on new posts, so please send anything
         | new esolang-related my way!
        
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       (page generated 2025-09-28 23:01 UTC)