The landscape of both storytelling and programming has witnessed transformative changes over the past few decades, roughly starting in the mid 90s and accelerating in the first decade of the 2000. As they evolved in their individual streams, an unexpected intersection began to surface, leading to an intriguing convergence of their methodologies and audiences.
A glimpse into the past
Dial back to the 1980s, a period defined by its distinctive culture and practices. In the sphere of software development, programming languages were cryptic and inaccessible. Codes appeared like an undecipherable script to anyone outside the programming community. The sheer complexity and specificity of these languages built a wall between coders and non-coders.
In a parallel world, literature from the same era had its characteristics. Stories were often characterized by verbose and intricate descriptions, allowing readers to dive deep into the environment, characters, and emotions. These detailed narratives, while beautiful, required patience and immersion.
The shift in cinematic storytelling
Fast forward to today, and the realms of cinematography and TV series production underscore the shift in storytelling preferences. Gone are the days when audiences would be excited about a four-hour epic masterpiece. Today's viewers prefer their narratives in bite-sized chunks, allowing for digestibility that suits the modern, fast-paced lifestyle.
The 'Netflix effect' perfectly embodies this transformation since its pivoting to the streaming service as opposed to the legacy DVD rental. By breaking down extensive narratives into episodic content, it now caters to the contemporary audience's desire for shorter, more focused storytelling. It's not about reducing the quality or depth but about delivering it in a format that resonates with today's consumer. Interestingly, this approach mirrors the principles of modular programming and the evolution of natural language coding.
Programming meets narration
Software development, much like modern storytelling, has become modular. Programmers build individual components separately, each with its defined function and description. These modular elements are then assembled to create a more extensive application, making the process efficient and manageable. This mirrors the episodic breakdown we see in modern series.
Moreover, the advancement of programming languages, integrated with natural language processing, has made code more readable and intuitive. Python, for instance, often touts its near-English syntax. Such developments make it feasible for someone with minimal programming knowledge to grasp, or at least guess, the essence of a code segment.
The intersecting path
The most profound intersection, however, is the process. Whether you're drafting a storyline for a series or designing a software application, the process involves:
1. Conceptualisation: Identifying the core idea or functionality.
2. Breaking down: Dividing the main idea into smaller, more manageable chunks or modules.
3. Detailing: Defining and describing each chunk or module.
4. Assembling: Combining all the parts to create a cohesive whole.
This similarity in approach makes the realms of storytelling and coding more intertwined than ever before.
The convergence of natural language and coding signifies more than just the evolution of two separate domains. It represents the universal human desire for simplicity, efficiency, and accessibility. As coding becomes more like storytelling, and as narratives adopt the modularity of programming, we're witnessing a fascinating merger of art and science, intuition and logic, and creativity and functionality.
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
