On Sat, 2 Oct 2004 08:02:52 +0300, Radu Grigore <radugrigore@gmail.com> wrote:
> I am learning OCaml now. The last two-three days I've written a small
> prototype; then I have reviewed it and one of the observations was
> that it contains no second-order function.
> 
> Possible reasons:
> 1. higher order functions are hard (intellectually unmanageable)
> 2. HOFs are not needed in practice above a certain order
> 3. failure to recognize places where a HOF is needed (beyond the
> standard examples in tutorial).
> 
> Number 3 was what prompted me to ask the question: a few examples
> always help. Unfortunately I didn't yet had time to read the cited
> articles :(.

I highly recommend keeping at it and joining the beginners list (if
you haven't already).  Making and using higher-order (as in 2nd or
3rd, at least) functions is one of those things that you start doing
after you've been using a functional language for a while.  It does
dramatically simplify your life when you start doing it, but it's not
immediately obvious how you'll use it.

Really, this is why people should try to gain experience with a
variety of languages: it greatly expands the variety of techniques
that you think of when trying to solve a problem.  The experience will
impact how you program in every language, whether or not it has those
tools.

In any case, good luck!

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