The Subjective Charms of Objective-C

Summary

Gottfried Leibniz, inventor of calculus and the mechanical calculator, sought a universal language to express all truths—a lifelong quest. Today, programming languages like Objective-C aim for similar clarity, using binary to encode ideas. While modern developers often criticize Objective-C's verbosity and quirks, it found lasting success through Steve Jobs and NeXT. The author recalls learning Objective-C in college, falling in love with its expressive power, despite its eventual decline as other languages gained favor.

Additional Summaries

Gottfried Leibniz dreamed of creating a universal language representing all scientific truths without ambiguity or falsehoods. His vision is echoed today in programming languages, which aim to be expressive and self-evident. Objective-C is one such language, known for its verbosity and peculiar syntax. It gained prominence due to an unlikely partnership with Apple after Steve Jobs' return. The author learned Objective-C during college and found it empowering but later grew disillusioned.

After feeling that his life's work was incomplete during his lifetime, Gottfried Leibniz envisioned a "characteristica universalis"—a universal language for scientific truths. This ideal inspired modern programming languages like the binary system and Objective-C, which, while verbose, aimed to eliminate ambiguity and allow developers to express ideas freely. Created in 1983 by combining object-oriented programming with C's syntax, Objective-C was initially polarizing but later became foundational to NeXT, now part of Apple. Despite its flaws, learning it reignited a sense of creative power for the author, highlighting both its potential and pitfalls.

Gottfried Leibnizimagined a "characteristica universalis," a universal language of thought designed to eliminate ambiguity and communicate scientific truths with absolute clarity. Now, in our digital age, Objective-C, a programming language, embodies this ideal by combining precision and complexity into its syntax, such as `[self.timer increaseByNumberOfSeconds:60]`, which reflects Leibniz's vision for clear communication while remaining essential for creating specific software like iOS and Mac applications. Though once overshadowed by more user-friendly languages, Objective-C's enduring legacy highlights how an idealistic pursuit can become a foundational tool in real-world innovation.

The article begins by exploring Gottfried Leibniz’s ambitious vision of a universal language for scientific truths and how this concept has evolved into modern programming languages, including the binary systems that power computers. It then shifts focus to Objective-C, a verbose yet influential programming language that shaped Apple's iOS development. The author reflects on their personal journey learning Objective-C in the 2010s, its profound impact on their career, and how it became a cornerstone of modern mobile app development despite its quirks.

Additional Summaries