Esolangs Meetup

Join us on 17 October for our meetup on esolang! Esolangs, or esoteric programming languages, are designed not for practicality but to explore unconventional ideas, often as jokes or experiments. These languages challenge the norms of programming by using minimal commands or strange syntaxes, making them difficult but creatively stimulating to use. They push the boundaries of what programming can be, turning coding into a unique, often puzzling art form.

During this meetup we will explore this fascinating world of code beyond the dominance of English and Western logic. This session will feature David Zwitser introducing BQN, a language from the APL family, which takes a unique approach to coding by focusing on arrays. BQN, developed by Marshall Lochbaum, is a fresh take on APL's mathematical notation, offering a language that looks, feels, and behaves unlike any other. David will share why he finds BQN to be so powerful, including a live demo to showcase its unique capabilities. If you want to know more about this, there’s a BQN workshop that you can join on October 19th!

Following David’s talk, Daniel Temkin will join us online from New York to present his research on programming languages that challenge the hegemony of English by incorporating words from languages such as Arabic, Yoruba, and other Pan-African languages. These languages break free from Western logic, fostering collaboration and new ways of thinking about programming.

📍Vlampijpstraat 84, CCU Studio
📅 17 October, 20:00 - 22:00
🎫 €7,50 regular/ €5 student

After the talks, we’ll have an interactive Q&A, followed by hands-on demos where you can experiment with these languages yourself. Whether you’re a seasoned programmer or just curious about alternative approaches to coding, this meetup is for anyone who sees programming as more than just a tool, but as a form of expression.

Don’t miss this chance to learn about esolangs and discover new ways to code!