Comment by munificent
Comment by munificent 2 hours ago
> once that line runs
This is the key point. Some people have a mental model that algebraic syntax is describing a set of immutable properties. You are defining things and giving them names, but not changing anything. There is no notion of time or sequence, because the universe is unchanging anyway. All you're doing is elucidating it.
Then there is a model where you are molding the state of a computer one imperative modification at a time. Sequence is essential because everything is a delta based on the state of the world before.
You have the latter model, which is indeed how the hardware behaves. But people with a mathematical mindset often have the former and find the latter very unintuitive.
It's hard for me to not suggest though that, essentially -- the math people are "right." Which is to say, "=" meant what it meant for 400 years, and then computers come along and redefine it to be an action verb and not an identity. And I think it's fair to consider that a mistake.