

Aha! moments in Lisp... What were your 'Aha moments' in your favorite language? - NickSmith
http://groups.google.com/group/comp.lang.lisp/browse_thread/thread/a12b2503c989761a/c5318848c215296f#c5318848c215296f

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aston
You get a similar feeling with Javascript by reading the source code of
libraries like prototype.js or jQuery. Lots of "Wait, you can do that in
Javascript?!?" moments.

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dmb
Python: \- the first time I concisely solved a seemingly complex problem with
a few list comprehensions and a well thought out structure of maps and lists

C: \- Using an include file as a simple database and redefining a macro to
form a primitive code generator (first saw this in a CPU simulator)

Haskell: \- SPJ's books on implementing functional languages -- the simple
beginning pieces seemed to generate more Aha moments (pretty printing and
parsing)

While none of these are specific to the given language, they represent points-
of-no-return for a change in the way I think about solving (or even
representing) problems.

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edw519
My Aha moment was the first time I saw one program produce output which was
the source code of a new program. Today we call that "code generation". Back
then, I called it "the day everything changed". To this day, whenever I write
something, I ask myself, "What could have generated that?"

Works well in any language.

