New Concepts: sorting and/or mutating functions

[depial]

We've yet to explicitly cover sorting and related functions, which has a decent amount of material. Some possible inclusions:

• sort() / sort!()
• sort(x, by=function)
• sortperm()
• partialsort()

Since there's usually a mutating variant, we could also combine the concept of mutating functions (or also just do a separate concept on that).

I guess the question is where it would come in the syllabus:

• After Vectors as a leaf
• After Ranges (since partialsort() can take a range as an argument), either as a leaf or a prereq for Vector Operations
• Somewhere else?

I'm leaning towards combining the two ideas into a single concept, just we would have to include special emphasis on explaining mutating vs non-mutating functions, the default being non-mutating, and that they can be found for inputs other than just Vectors.

[colinleach]

Ho hum, another missing concept to make me feel guilty.

That said, I can't deny it's a very good idea.

[BethanyG]

Um, was passing by and saw this. Why on this green earth would either of you feel guilty?!!? You have gotten so much done in a short time!! The fact that someone was drawn to the syllabus, did multiple exercises, and then had questions means things are working!! It's great that you have more concepts to add, and students who want you to do so. I remember times past when someone would start the track and then give up because there wasn't enough of a ramp to get them started.

Sorry. Guilty 🙄 is simply not allowed. 💙

[colinleach]

Last couple of months, I've been all talk, not much action. There are reasons (health, mainly), but I think I can justify a sense of regret (not the same as guilt).

[depial]

I hear you there. I'm finding that progress comes in waves for me (a lull and then a storm?), but it seems to often work itself out at the right pace, giving the ideas sufficient time to ripen :D

[colinleach]

As an aside: I recently completed python/swift-scheduling (in student mode), and had to look back at my notes for PR 3563 to remind myself how datetime.datetime works. I really ought to finish that PR sometime, but I'm assuming that Bethany would much prefer me to do it later rather than sooner!

Also, I tried to look at my notes for structural-pattern-matching (which I thought I remembered writing), but I only found an empty stub with no content. Well, we talked about it...