Coding Matrix Style
For a long time now, I’ve wondered about the value of creating code with a more pictographic method than say, English, or some truncated version. Would there really be any value or would it just make code more obfuscated and more difficult to understand? At any rate, without decent input, the point was moot in my mind. With the advent of the Optimus Keyboard though (due out in 2006) the question is not so moot. I think it would be mostly beneficial when it comes to length. Simply having symbols for various functions, variables, arrays, etc. would shorten the average program purely in the number of symbols to be used. I think there would also be a benefit found in skimming code. Punctuation conventions could probably remain the same and still be effective.
Here’s a rough sketch of what I was initially thinking. You can see that each category of objects would be realted by shape. Library code and key terms would be beter served as being highly unique and easily visible.
I never thought something like this was reasonable as long as a programmer couldn’t directly input this kind of thing. The Optimus keyboard makes this a reasonable possibility.