T * sin (t) ≈ Christmas tree (2013) (github.com)

Article summary

The article presents a simple Christmas tree animation created using JavaScript, based on a Reddit story. The tree is built using two spirals and includes 3D projection and background shadow. The author shares their experience of building the tree and invites others to contribute and improve it. The project is available on GitHub and has been implemented in various programming languages.

Main themes

• Christmas tree animation
• JavaScript and programming
• Math and learning
• Open-source contributions
• Animation and performance
• Personal projects and motivation
• Vector fields and ordinary differential equations
• Frame rate and animation techniques

What commenters say

• Some commenters appreciate the simplicity and beauty of the Christmas tree animation and share their own implementations in different programming languages.
• Others discuss the importance of math in programming and how it can be learned through passion and practice.
• There is a debate about the best approach to contributing to open-source projects, with some arguing that issues should be filed before submitting pull requests, while others prefer to submit pull requests directly.
• The use of requestAnimationFrame and setTimeout for animation is discussed, with some arguing that overriding requestAnimationFrame with setTimeout defeats its purpose, while others suggest using it to achieve a specific frame rate.
• Some commenters share their own experiences and projects related to math and animation, such as using vector fields to teach ordinary differential equations.
• The idea that it's never too late to learn math and improve programming skills is also discussed, with some commenters sharing their own journeys of learning and improving.
• The importance of having a passion project that requires math is highlighted as a motivator for learning and improving math skills.
• The trade-offs between using requestAnimationFrame and setTimeout for animation are weighed, with considerations for frame rate, battery life, and artistic choice.