

Classic computer science problems solved in JavaScript - zakj
http://github.com/nzakas/computer-science-in-javascript

======
keefe
The more I work with js the more I like it. This project is a great idea, if
it can be maintained. I'm fairly interested in figuring something to
contribute myself.

------
ComputerGuru
Look, JS is a language like any other. If I can do something in assembly, I
can do it in JS. Give me IF statements (preferably with nesting support) and
variables, and there's _nothing_ that cannot be done.

What remains is how easy, how nice, how flexible, how enjoyable, how
compatible, how reliable, how practical.

For me, the answer is C++, but don't let that influence you ;-)

~~~
camccann
_Give me IF statements (preferably with nesting support) and variables, and
there's nothing that cannot be done._

I know you were exaggerating here, but simple conditional statements aren't
actually sufficient. You need some construct that allows repetition, if only
implicitly. "while" loops would be easy, but even simple function calls
suffice if you have function pointers (in fact, allowing function pointers
alone ought to be enough, without conditionals or even variables).

At any rate, it's the lack vs. presence of repetition constructs that makes
SQL not a full general-purpose language, where XSLT actually is.

~~~
ComputerGuru
Add GoTo's to the list, and you're set :)

At the assembly level, everything is boiled down to (basically) bne, mov, and
jmp.

------
pgbovine
i think the real value in doing js implementations is hooking them up to js
visualization libraries so that you can do online demos within the webpage;
could be great for education. otherwise i don't see the benefit of coding this
up in js vs. other similar dynamic languages.

~~~
TNO
The benefit being that JavaScript is the most popular language in history?

~~~
xtho
A billion flies can't be wrong.

Just because it's used on almost every webpage, doesn't mean it's popular in
the sense of being liked.

~~~
robermrangel
Yea, I wish I could <script language='ruby'></script>

~~~
walkon
Seriously asking here: what would you like more about Ruby as opposed to
Javascript if they were in the same boat (i.e. if Ruby had client ubiquity, no
systems frameworks, no major non-browser platform, etc)?

~~~
camccann
Lack of curly braces?

