[REBOL] rebol weak points (i think)
From: rishi:picostar at: 9-Sep-2000 12:40
This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
------=_NextPart_000_004B_01C01A5B.2D1D1280
Content-Type: text/plain;
charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
I've just started to play around with rebol. It definately has it's advantages for the
beginner progammer but it seems shows some weakness for advanced, modular based programming.
For example, all user/system defined variables are either global (or local to a function).
Since all variables are global in rebol and there is no way to associate a variable with
a class, this would probably lead to collisions when you are using lot's of scripts.
imagine someone wrote a utility script with a bunch of reusable functions. Let's say
you want to use those functions in your script. If the original script uses a global
variable with the same name as a global var you used in your script, it would cause a
collision.
Or let's say that the programmer of a utility script reimplemented a rebol defined function
such as "print." Now when you add his utility script to your script, the function print
get's all screwed up in either your script or his script.
Java and javascript have a much less chance of these collisions since the programmer
can create static variable and functions that are associated with a class. These vars
and functions can be accessed globally, but must have the name of the class in front
of the variable. for example,
Math.pi
could be a variable pi defined in class Math that can be accessed globally.it is not
an instance variable, it is a static variable. Outside of the class Math, you have to
use "Math" before it in order to access it.
Perhaps I haven't studied the language in enough detail yet, but wouldn't you all agree
that this is a weakness in rebol? It doesn't seem that well suited for modular based
programming as is. Maybe I'm missing something but I don't see why the author did it
this way...
Rishi
------=_NextPart_000_004B_01C01A5B.2D1D1280
Content-Type: text/html;
charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1" http-equiv=Content-Type>
<META content="MSHTML 5.00.2614.3500" name=GENERATOR>
<STYLE></STYLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY bgColor=#ffffff>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I've just started to play around with rebol. It
definately has it's =<BR>advantages for the beginner progammer but it seems
shows some weakness =<BR>for advanced, modular based programming. For example,
all user/system =<BR>defined variables are either global (or local to a
function). Since all =<BR>variables are global in rebol and there is no way to
associate a =<BR>variable with a class, this would probably lead to collisions
when you =<BR>are using lot's of scripts.=20<BR><BR>imagine someone wrote a
utility script with a bunch of reusable =<BR>functions. Let's say you want to
use those functions in your script. If =<BR>the original script uses a global
variable with the same name as a =<BR>global var you used in your script, it
would cause a collision.=20<BR><BR>Or let's say that the programmer of a utility
script reimplemented a =<BR>rebol defined function such as "print." Now when you
add his utility =<BR>script to your script, the function print get's all screwed
up in either =<BR>your script or his script.=20<BR><BR>Java and javascript have
a much less chance of these collisions since =<BR>the programmer can create
static variable and functions that are =<BR>associated with a class. These vars
and functions can be accessed =<BR>globally, but must have the name of the class
in front of the variable. =<BR>for example,<BR><BR>Math.pi=20<BR><BR>could be a
variable pi defined in class Math that can be accessed =<BR>globally.it is not
an instance variable, it is a static variable. =<BR>Outside of the class Math,
you have to use "Math" before it in order to =<BR>access it.<BR><BR>Perhaps I
haven't studied the language in enough detail yet, but =<BR>wouldn't you all
agree that this is a weakness in rebol? It doesn't seem =<BR>that well suited
for modular based programming as is. Maybe I'm missing =<BR>something but I
don't see why the author did it this
way...<BR><BR>Rishi<BR><BR></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>
------=_NextPart_000_004B_01C01A5B.2D1D1280--
