Xah Talk Show 2025-09-16 Ep702 the C Printf Crime and New Syntax for String, Rock-String

• https://youtu.be/uWvsETOLM-g

• C and unix caused pervasive harm in programing languages and computing industry.
• C printf, is the quintessence of its hack nature.
• Why is printf a problem? Explain. It effectively creates a mini-language that is cryptic, incomprehensible, and hard to use, and not extensible.
• The reason why printf is hard to use. Explain. Because it combines several distinct operations into one, and uses a cryptic ad-hoc syntax for them. Show article.
• C is designed 50 years ago, why blame c? Explain. Because, old tech is not a problem, the problem of c and unix is that it creates a cult, and instill programers a notion that it is actually the best design.
• What should be the proper fix. Explain

• Now, separate issue. The problems of string in general. (also due to C)
• The problem of escapes in string.
• Show a new string syntax design.

• Comp Lang: the Hack of C Printf Format String
• A New String Syntax. Rock-String

• Why I Hate the C Language
• Programing Language Design: String Syntax
• Python String Sucks

• Python: Quote String
• Python: Triple Quote String
• Python: String Escape Sequence
• Python: String Prefix Character (u f r b)
• Python: Format String (Convert to String)

• PowerShell: String
• PowerShell: Single Quoted String
• PowerShell: Double Quoted String
• PowerShell: Here-String
• PowerShell: Escape Characters
• PowerShell: Format String

• Elisp: String
• Elisp: Unicode Escape Sequence
• Elisp: Format String
• Elisp: Convert Number, String

• Golang: Print, Format

• Wolfram: String Template

• Unicode: Character Set, Encoding, UTF-8, Codepoint

• Emacs Lisp Toothpick Syndrome
• Perl: Here-Doc String PHP: Heredoc and Nowdoc String Syntax
• PowerShell: Here-String

x = 3.256
print( "the price is %f" % x )
# the price is 3.256000

x = 3.256
print( "the price is %.2f" % x )
# the price is 3.26

x = 123.256
print( "the price is %5.2f" % x )
the price is 123.26

x = 123.256
print( "the price is %9.2f" % x )
# the price is    123.26

y = 17
print( "hexadecimal of %d is %x" % ( y, y) )
# hexadecimal of 17 is 11

# show 2 decimal places, with grouping

"{0:n2}" -f 123456789.123456789
# 123,456,789.12

"the decimal number {0:d} in hexadecimal is {0:x}" -f 17
# the decimal number 17 in hexadecimal is 11

(let ((x 17))
 (print (format "decimal number %d in hexadecimal is %x" x x))
)
;; "decimal number 17 in hexadecimal is 11"

package main

import "fmt"

func main() {

	var x = 17

	fmt.Printf("decimal %d in hexadecimal is %x \n", x, x)
	// decimal 17 in hexadecimal is 11
}

x = 17;
StringTemplate["decimal number `` in hexadecimal is ``"][x, IntegerString[x,16] ]
(* decimal number 17 in hexadecimal is 11 *)

BaseForm[{0, 1, 5, 17}, 2]
(* BaseForm[{0, 1, 5, 17}, 2] *)

ToString[ BaseForm[{0, 1, 5, 17}, 2] ]
(* 
{0 , 1 , 101 , 10001 }
  2   2     2       2
*)