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by aryehof 3422 days ago
> "What is a complex representational system"

1. Representational systems

a. Transactional systems [1], based around actions that need to be recorded, typically for commercial or legal reasons, like software used to record your purchases, payments, reservations, participation, interactions, obligations, results, commitments, plans, and significant events.

b. Non-transactional continuous systems, like software controlling an elevator, warehouse conveyor system, or a vehicle engine management system.

See http://aryehoffman.com/entry/project-types
1 comments
yawaramin 3421 days ago
The Tezos project is writing a new safety-focused blockchain implementation in OCaml. Would you classify that as a representational system or otherwise?
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aryehof 3421 days ago
I don't know anything about Tezos or blockchain implementations sorry, but I suspect that it is primarily focused on the processing of data, rather than the modeling of the concepts in a domain – a specific area of activity or knowledge.

As such it is more of a Type 2B project - "Information, data science and analysis projects, systems often focused on the processing of data." (http://aryehoffman.com/entry/project-types)

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willtim 3421 days ago
Most mainstream languages don't even have sum types, but have to encode them via other means (enums, tags, inheritance). They are not necessarily the best choice for modelling data, just your preferred choice.
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yawaramin 3421 days ago
From the description, 2(b) sounds like a strict superset of 1(a). In fact, it sounds like the most generic possible description of an IT system. I mean, what computer system is not focused on the processing of data?

Anyway, I asked you about a blockchain technology because it fits perfectly into your description of a representational technology. In fact it's a breakthrough in the space, and I'm finding it hard to believe that an IT professional doesn't have even a basic idea about about it.

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willtim 3421 days ago
Yes and Ethereum's imperative approach didn't work out so well. There many FP shops looking at Blockchain. E.g. IOHK which are using Haskell.
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