[REBOL] Re: Language-oriented programming
From: edoconnor:g:mail at: 20-Sep-2007 14:24
Language-oriented programming is interesting and caused a small stir a
couple of years ago. Unfortunately, it hasn't gone anywhere, and I
think we won't see much in this realm until an app or framework
emerges that really drives the point home.
Currently Ruby-on-Rails, and more generally the Ruby language, has
gained notoriety for DSLs, although Python also has examples. Perl
recently included grammars-based parsing, so it could be a contender
as well.
REBOL, of course, has had its sights on dialects for a long time. I'm
no expert, but the challenges I see for dialecting are:
1. Developers seem more comfortable with a neutral, standards-based
format such as XML. This de-couples the data from the processing
language and doesn't mandate a single tool like REBOL at both ends to
interpret messaging transactions.
2. Dialects (as I've understood them) can only be composed of REBOL
values. Although REBOL has a rich variety of values, it is possible to
encounter datatypes which will not load into REBOL.
3. Parse dialects (as opposed to specialized groups of rebol
statements) require a solid foundation in parse, and the current docs
are a bit thin.
I would be very interested in learning what R3 might bring to reassert
REBOL's prowess in dialecting. If somewhere down the road there are
plans for the following, things could get more interesting:
A) a built-in tool for creating/editing parse dialects
B) stronger XML, JSON, YAML support
C) ability to create new datatypes
Ed
On 9/20/07, Richard Boyd wrote:
