study pure math, write compilers, print money?

More specifically I’m studying combinatorics and optimization.

After slinging enterprise saas code for years, it’s pretty refreshing to study this topic.

why?

There’s a fundamental connection between concepts in combinatorics and programming/compilers/languages. Think enumeration, graphs, logic, …

The programming patterns in compilers feel uniquely elegant.

observations

There seems to be a wave of interest in AI hardware, but there are way too many companies jumping straight to custom chips and architectures without investing nearly enough time or money in the space of compilers and language design.