Turing Tarpit

A Turing tarpit is any programming language that allows for flexibility in function but is difficult to learn and use because it offers little or no support for common tasks. Some esoteric programming languages (esolang - designed to test the boundaries of computer programming language design, as a proof of concept, or as a joke) such as "brainfuck", are specifically referred to as "Turing tarpits". Usually, an esolang's creators do not intend the language to be used for mainstream programming, although some esoteric features, such as visuospatial syntax, have inspired practical applications in the arts. Such languages are often popular among hackers and hobbyists. Usability is rarely a goal for esoteric programming language designers—often it is quite the opposite. "The danger of the tar-pit is that instead of developing a solution to a problem, you develop a tool for solving problems. And invariably, the wider the class of problems the tool can solve, the less useful it is for solving any one problem." Alan J. Perlis "Beware of the Turing tarpit in which everything is possible but nothing of interest is easy." Alan J. Perlis