“Literate Programming” by Leon Tabak

Leon Tabak, professor of computer science, will discuss “Literate Programming.” Computer scientists write for two audiences. They write for machines and so must write instructions in a form that a machine can interpret. And they also write for human beings and must describe the solutions of problems in ways that the people who adapt, extend or correct errors in a solution can understand. Not surprisingly, computer scientists encounter challenges that intersect the obstacles that writers in other fields face. Taking lessons from other writers, and learning from experience, computer scientists have developed methods and tools that anyone might use to share complex ideas. This talk will identify the challenges of meeting the needs of the human audience and ways of meeting those challenges.