The Rational Programmer: An Investigative Method for Programming Language Pragmatics

Explore a conference talk from ACM SIGPLAN's Scheme'23 event that introduces "The Rational Programmer," a novel scientific instrument for evaluating programming language pragmatics. Delve into how this method employs simulations to assess a language's support for routine developer tasks such as testing, debugging, and maintenance. Learn about the algorithmic abstraction of information gathering in work contexts and how it can generate strategies for developers, highlight language design issues, and inform teaching practices. Discover practical examples demonstrating the application of the Rational Programmer method and its potential impact on improving programming language design and developer productivity.