Source Code

There are at least three instances of source code being displayed in the anime.

Layer 01

A teacher is seen copying some C code onto the chalkboard in Layer 01 just before Lain's fingertips begin to emit ectoplasm. It features a yen symbol instead of a backslash in an escape sequence. The teacher probably forgot something after the second percent symbol. Part of the code is not visible because the teacher is standing in the way. It reads as follows:

a='A'; b='B';
if(a>b) printf("%c>%￥n",/*teacher's head*/);
if(a==b) printf("%c=% // teacher's shoulders
if(a<b) printf("%c<%c // teacher's back
x=321; y=123;

Layer 07

CRowView.CL

Afx-n-nPrv-View.CL

In Layer 07, there is a scene where Lain is in class, surreptitiously working on her HandiNAVI instead of paying attention. For a few seconds, her NAVI screen is visible, and we can see her rapidly scroll through two files of Common Lisp source code, named CRowView.CL and Afx-n-nPrv-View.CL.

CRowView.CL

CRowView.CL contains code for John Conway's Game of Life.[1] The creators probably selected this code because of its seemingly omnipotent implications, i.e. creating worlds and life.

Afx-n-nPrv-View.CL

Afx-n-nPrv-View.CL is the source for a code walker.[2] This was probably included for its tongue-in-cheek reference to Apple in a section of code that is commented out.

Related Pages

• Typographics
• Wikipedia page on Life.