mahiwaga

Updated from 2008

(crossposted on Tumblr)

I just ran into this old post about idioms rewritten in computer (pseudo)code. It occurs to me that I’ve learned a lot more Ruby since then, and I decided to rewrite some of the pseudocode into actual code.

1. original:

   // idiom 1  
   
   cop[0].goodInPercent = 100;  
   cop[1].goodInPercent = 0;  

   my version:

   class Interrogation  
   
     @Interrogators=[]  
     
     def GoodCopBadCop  
       @Interrogators=[cops.select { |cop| cop.is_good? }.first, cops.select { |cop| cop.is_bad? }.first]  
       cops.delete(cops.select { |cop| cop.is_good? }.first)  
     end  
   end  

2. original:

   // idiom 2  
   
   isCrowd = personCounter >= 3;

   my version:

   class Fixnum  
     def is_crowd?  
       self > 2  
     end  
   end  
   
   3.is_crowd?

3. original:

   // idiom 3  
   
   injury += insult;

   my version:

   return (insult + injury)

4. original:

   // idiom 4  
   1: board.draw();  
   goto 1;

   my version:

   session[:return_to] ||= 'http://http://mahiwaga.net/drawing-board'  
   redirect_to session.delete(:return_to)

5. original:

   // idiom 5  
   
   if (bird[1].feather == bird[2].feather) {  
       bird[1].flock(bird[2]);  
   }

   my version:

   flock.collect {|bird| feathers.each {|feather| bird.find_by_feather(feather)}}  

6. original:

   // idiom 6  
   
   a = getThickness('blood');  
   b = getThickness('water');  
   assert(a > b);  

   class Liquid  
     attr_accessor :spec_grav  
   
     def initialize args  
   	 args.each do |k,v|  
   	   instance_variable_set("@#{k}", v) unless v.nil?  
   	 end  
     end  
     
     def is_thicker_than?(other_liquid)  
       self.spec_grav > other_liquid.spec_grav  
     end  
   end  
   
   blood = Liquid.new(:spec_grav => 1.0506) # reference: http://www.clinchem.org/cgi/content/abstract/20/5/615  
   
   
   water = Liquid.new(:spec_grav => 1.0000)  
     
   blood.is_thicker_than?(water)  

   (see: Specific Gravity of Blood and Plasma at 4 and 37°C)

7. original:

   // idiom 7  
   
   a_spade_a_spade();

   my version:

   class Spade    
     def call(value)   
       @name = value  
     end  
   end  
   
   spade=Spade.new  
   spade.call("a spade")  

8. original:

   // idiom 8  
   
   die(1000);  
   function die(max) {  
       for (i = 1; i <= max; i++) {  
           cut();  
       }  
   }

   my version:

   Death.find_by_cut('1000')

9. original:

   // idiom 9  
   
   prey = 'worm';  
   time = getCurrentTime();  
   if (time >= 4 && time <= 8) {  
       bird.catch(prey);  
   }  

   my version:

   bird = Creature.new(:shift => 'early')  
   worm = Creature.new  
   if bird.shift == 'early'   
     bird.catch(worm)  
   end  

10. original:

    // idiom 10  
    
    while ( rome.fire() ) {  
        doFiddle();  
    }

    my version:

    Nero(:instrument => 'fiddle') while Rome.is_burning?  

11. original:

    // idiom 11  
    
    function getValue(garbage) {  
        return garbage;  
    }

    my version:

    Value.In(:Garbage)  
    print Value.Out    
    ==>Garbage  

12. original:

    // idiom 12  
    
    take(salt * .01);

    my version:

    Salt.take(:mass => 0.06479891, :unit => 'gram')  

13. original:

    // idiom 13  
    
    var here = false;  
    var there = false;

    my version:

    !(here or there)  

14. original:

    // idiom 14  
    
    if (i == 2) {  
        tango();  
    }

    my version:

    def self.takes(value)   
      if value == 2 then self.tango;  
    end  

15. original:

    // idiom 15
    
    days = 365;  
    for (day = 1; day <= days; day++) {  
        if ( random(0,100) <= 50 ) apple++;  
    }  
    if (apple <= days) doctor();  

    my version:

    year.collect {|day| if day.apples.count > 0 then doctor.keep_away}  

16. original:

    // idiom 16  
    
    if ( !dogs.sleep() ) {  
        disturb(dogs);  
    }  

    my version:

    if dog.is_asleep?  
      dog.lay  
    end

17. original:

    // idiom 17
    
    function tunnel() {  
        var dark;  
        for (i = 0; i < 10; i++) {  
            dark = true;  
        }  
        dark = !dark;  
        return dark;  
    }

    my version:

    Class Tunnel   
      def self.is_there_light?   
        return (self.position == 'END')  
      end  
    end  

18. original:

    // idiom 18  
    
    if ( ape.inLineOfSight(it.x, it.y) ) ape.do(it);

    my version:

    if monkey.does_see?(:actor)  
      monkey.do(Monkey.action_seen(:actor))  
    end

19. original:

    // idiom 19  
    
    return way.my || way.high;

    my version:

    return way(:my) || way(:high)  

20. original:

    // idiom 20  
    
    hay[ random(0, hay.length - 1) ] = 'needle';  

    my version:

    hay = Stack.new  
    hay.find('needle')  

21. original:

    // idiom 21  
    
    a = 0;  
    b = 1;  
    hand[a].wash(hand[b]);  
    hand[b].wash(hand[a]);  

    my version:

    hand['left'].wash(hand['right'])  
    hand['right'].wash(hand['left'])  

22. original:

    // idiom 22  
    
    function getGain(pain) {  
        return pain >= 1;  
    }

    my version:

    if (pain.level == 0) then gain.level = 0  

23. original:

    // idiom 23  
    
    if (cooks >= 3) {  
        broth = null;  
    }

    my version:

    class Broth  
    
      def is_spoiled?  
        self.cook.count >= TOO_MANY  
      end  
    end

24. original:

    // idiom 24    
    
    if (a != 'cake') a.eat();  

    my version:

    Class Cake  
      def Cake.have()    
        Cake.is_had? = Cake.is_eaten? ? false : true    
      end   
    
      def Cake.eat()   
        Cake.is_eaten? = Cake.is_had? ? false : true  
      end  
    end

25. original:

    // idiom 25  
    
    doesStand = you == me;

    my version:

    if We.is_united? then We.stand()  
    if We.is_divided? then We.fall()  

26. original:

    // idiom 26  
    
    var location = getLocation();  
    if (location == 'rome') {  
        do( location.getCitizen() );  
    }

    my version:

    if person.locale == 'Rome'  
      person.behavior(:Roman)  
    end