Re: Re: Literate Programming with Org mode

[sam kleinman <garen@tychoish.com>]

On Fri, Jul 31, 2009 at 11:01:36AM -0600, Eric Schulte wrote:

> I think the difference between these two is that in LP the "product" is
> the executable piece of software, where as in RR the "product" is the
> document itself.

This is true, and I think the explanation suffers somewhat as a result
of this. But I don't think the demarcation you present is as
significant as it seems from your explanation. Perhaps we can think of
the example I provided as being one of "reproducible research by means
of literate programming." 

The Sweave stuff, particularly in cases like the one I describe (and
arguably, when "done right") I think works to transform the "product"
of research from a static document to an "executable document," of
sorts. The analysis (the research?) happens, (at least theoretically)
in real time, and the document is just a snapshot/representation of
this: another output of the program. 

Indeed the programming of the generation of a document, no matter how
complex, is not the "sexiest" expression of the programmer's art, but
I think it still counts. And to be fair, Sweave/LP approaches to
research reporting, doesn't include reproducible data collection
techniques/documentation which is a big part of RR, at least in my
mind. 

I'm interested in you project (a lot, actually) but I must admit that
I'm not much of a numbers guy any more, as if I ever was one. :)

Cheers,
sam

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