Man this question would sink me because of the misnomer that HTML is a programming language.
this post was submitted on 03 Jun 2025
468 points (98.0% liked)
memes
15366 readers
3862 users here now
Community rules
1. Be civil
No trolling, bigotry or other insulting / annoying behaviour
2. No politics
This is non-politics community. For political memes please go to !politicalmemes@lemmy.world
3. No recent reposts
Check for reposts when posting a meme, you can only repost after 1 month
4. No bots
No bots without the express approval of the mods or the admins
5. No Spam/Ads
No advertisements or spam. This is an instance rule and the only way to live.
A collection of some classic Lemmy memes for your enjoyment
Sister communities
- !tenforward@lemmy.world : Star Trek memes, chat and shitposts
- !lemmyshitpost@lemmy.world : Lemmy Shitposts, anything and everything goes.
- !linuxmemes@lemmy.world : Linux themed memes
- !comicstrips@lemmy.world : for those who love comic stories.
founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
It's basically gambling on the nerdiness of the question's writer. Do they think HTML is a programming language? Do they know that people think it's a programming language and trying to trap them? Do they know it's not a programming language but also know most people would think it is one and so are using the common, loose definition of a programming language in order not to trap people?
My brain would melt
Mine wouldn't.
It is a quiz, they know what they are talking about if they put the question in. And if they don't, you get to call out the quiz master for being wrong.
But I’d rather have the million dollars than the satisfaction of calling out the show for being wrong.
I would challenge the question right there and demand an expert counsel to explain why HyperTextMarkupLanguage is classified as a programming language when it's not even Turing complete. It's a markup language. Security would have to drag me, I'd die on the specificity hill.
load more comments
(1 replies)
load more comments
(1 replies)
If the question writer was aware, they would have formulated the question differently. It's just not clear-cut whether HTML is a programming language or not, so you wouldn't be quizzing their knowledge, but rather just whether they hold the same opinion as you. Or whether they meta-gamed correctly. Neither of which make for a fun show...
I would loudly go on the record for my reasoning that Hypertext Markup Language is not Turing Complete, and therefore fails to be a programming language by the only academic and theoretical definition that matters.
They already are going to award me "lawyer up" money, so I'll come after them for damages later if B is the "right' answer.
wrong again! CSS is turing complete, and HTML can include inline CSS, so you can implement a Turing machine in HTML only (without external .js files)
It can also include inline JS. HTML alone cannot be turing complete, but HTML+CSS is.
load more comments
(6 replies)
Don’t worry. They interview you before these shows. If you’re at all tech savvy then they would never ask you this question. They want you to be stumped by the question for legitimate reasons, not to loudly protest that you’ve been cheated by a bad question.
load more comments
(6 replies)
It’s right there in the name: it’s a markup language. Hyper Text Markup Language. HTML.
There is a difference between “markup language” and “programming language”.
That's the point isn't it? Or did you mean that with a question mark attached?
The only correct answer is D, and it got the least votes. 😋
That's the etymological fallacy. The name itself doesn't determine the meaning. According to that logic, python isn't a programming language either but a snake
Fun fact python was named after Monty python, not the snake.
What was Monty Python named after?
I think it got inspired by our lord and savior Brian
load more comments
(8 replies)
If it walks like a snake and quacks like a snake...
The name itself doesn't determine the meaning.
The name in this case is defined by the meaning if you will. Programming languages are used to write programs. A HTML file is much closer to a PDF than to what can be considered a program.
Also fun fact python is named after the comedy group Monty Python rather than the snake.
Actually, PDF is a turing complete programming language.
PDF is a simplification and wrapper around the computer language PostScript - a PostScript or PDF doc literally runs on the printer or computer and outputs the rasterisation of the thing you want to print.
PostScript is language based around a stack. You can define functions (which may be fully recursive) that run on the stack.
Here's a small example:
/ANGLE {
newpath
100 0 moveto
0 0 lineto
100 50 lineto
stroke
} def
10 setlinewidth
0 setlinejoin
100 200 translate
ANGLE
1 setlinejoin
0 70 translate
ANGLE
2 setlinejoin
0 70 translate
ANGLE
As such, PDF that's actually similar to Python, and HTML is closer to something like a JSON or XML document.
Note however that HTML can contain Javscript or WASM programs, but these are embedded rather than features of HTML.
Consider me outjerked 🎩🤏
HTML5 + CSS3 seems to be Turing complete too: https://lemire.me/blog/2011/03/08/breaking-news-htmlcss-is-turing-complete/
load more comments
(1 replies)
load more comments
(1 replies)
load more comments
(1 replies)
It's in the name, it's a markup languge. Html sites are basically just over-formatted text.
I fucking hate these kinds of questions. D is the CORRECT answer because TECHNICALLY html is a markup language and not a programming language but the average person irl will just call you a dipshit for trying to explain that. If this were a question on a shitty academic exam, its going to be a 50/50 toss up on which will get counted as correct because the Autograder Bot Knows All(TM) but you better not fucking use AI to get your low effort AI-generated homework done quicker because fuck you.
Bro if someone called me a dipshit for a technicality in a contest where money is at stake? They are a dipshit. Being serious about the questions is the point.
Thought exactly the same. I'd like to know how the legal side would look like. Let's say you say D. Could you go to court if they say it's wrong?
Guessing you have to sign a release/arbitration/"suck it" agreement when you agree to come on the show.
load more comments
(5 replies)
That question just gave me anxiety. That is exactly the type of question I would get. Technically it's not but does the people who wrote that think that? Is it a trap question or a smart question? Omg I gotta not think about this anymore...
load more comments
(1 replies)
Ackshually it's a markup language not a programming language Picks D and loses $1 million
load more comments
(2 replies)
What really has my brain in a knot is: Does option "D: None of these" include or exclude option D?
This statement is false.
That’s why it should be “none of the above”. And if there’s a “all of the above”, it must come right before the “none of the above”.
They're not above. One of them is to the left.
load more comments
(3 replies)
load more comments
(1 replies)
Well what the fuck is a machine language?
Is is data transmitted between parties (machines) to convey information? HTML fits this definition.
Do they mean machine code? Because some call machine code "machine language".
Either way the answer is D.
WYSIWYG has been around so long that people forget markup languages and batch text processing have been around for a long time. LaTeX and Groff seem to be the sole survivors.
Not expected Amitabh Bacchan and Indian who wants to be a Millonaire or Kaun bane ga Crorepati. Lemmy has got me suprised. Also HTML is markup not a programming language.
It looks like this is a photo taken by a potato of a magazine photo that was taken by a potato
view more: next ›