Daniel Temkin, a prominent figure in the world of programming, is set to release his forthcoming book titled “Forty-Four Esolangs: The Art of Esoteric Code.” This publication, which will be available from MIT Press on September 23, explores 44 unique esoteric programming languages, showcasing their creativity and complexity. Temkin’s programming efforts draw attention to experimental and unconventional programming languages. It looks beyond and leverages their principles to show the bigger picture of what’s possible in today’s digital landscape.
Temkin’s current projects illustrate a very exciting step into AI-generated code. He argues that this transformation frequently exchanges creativity for straightforward problem-solving. As he goes down this rabbit hole, he starts to wonder just how much control programmers really have over what they create.
The Creative Language of Valence
To look at just one of Temkin’s noteworthy contributions, there’s Valence, a programming language he created to replicate the complexity that exists in human languages. Valence draws upon one of the earliest recorded numeric systems – using eight ancient Greek measuring codes. This combination results in a rare mix of literary subtlety and programming exactness.
Temkin further explains the philosophy behind Valence below. For example, he writes, “Just as you can produce an English sentence such as, ‘Bob saw the group with the telescope’, it is ambiguous whether Bob has the telescope or the group has it. He sees this vagueness as a way to force coders to push beyond the limits of conventional coding to produce real art.
Valence is a clear example of Temkin’s ongoing interest in the esoteric programming language tradition. This beautiful practice goes way back—we’re talking the early days of computing. These esoteric languages tend to emphasize obscured syntax through confusing structure, INTERCAL being one of the first examples. Temkin’s project serves as a colorful artistic release. It also explicitly asks how the relationship between humans and machines might be changing.
Olympus: A Divine Approach to Code
Olympus — a new programming language by Temkin — is the first place to start. This esoteric language, involving code execution purely for the sake of itself, is life communicated through a forum of ancient Greek deities. Each god represents a different purpose within the interpreter. Programmers need to play a part too, carefully constructing their requests to align with the goals that stakeholders seek.
The interconnectedness of the language creates an opportunity to write in a very natural and fluid style. You can call on all different Greek gods to build the code in very specific ways,” Temkin continues. This approach introduces additional difficulties to programming. Now users must be mindful of both the syntax and how to get on the good side of these new divine providers.
Temkin notes the intricate dynamics at play: “You’re writing pleas to create that code, and you have to ask nicely.” For example, he says, an intelligent programmer would want to avoid the assumption that Zeus is the father of the gods. If they cycle through this title too soon, Zeus may feel like they’re not trying hard enough. This interaction reflects a deeper commentary on control in programming, as Temkin states: “This is the classic bind in programming. We’re in charge of the machine when we’re writing code, but how truly in control are we of what’s produced?”
Community and Tradition in Esoteric Languages
Temkin’s contributions are larger than these concrete projects. He is an active proponent of community-driven, interest-based initiatives dealing with esoteric languages. His website is a trove of imaginative programming strategies. His code examples for the Esoteric Languages Wiki encourage others to get creative with such absurd subversion.
One of those things is that esoteric languages just have a particular charm. They’re extremely ripe and ready to reflect, dissect, and unpack the complexities of contemporary programming. By engaging with these languages, programmers can confront their own relationships with technology and understand the multifaceted nature of coding.
According to Temkin, the appeal isn’t just in learning how to write code. It stems from the desire to understand how our instructions and intentions can produce unintended results. Esoteric languages, he argues, offer valuable spaces for reflection and imagination in an ever more regimented programming culture.
Temkin showcased his work at the Free and Open Source Software Developer’s European Meeting (FOSDEM) event in Brussels this past February. His workshops were a huge hit and inspired hundreds of students to rethink how they codify their work and tap into the creative possibilities of computer programming.