[REBOL] Language "attitudes"
From: joel::neely::fedex::com at: 26-May-2001 11:55
Coincidentally, after reading the fireside chat by Charles
Moore that Graham linked for us, I ran across a quotation
from Larry Wall. These two statements make an interesting
contrast:
If it isn't 100 times smaller than 'C'
it isn't Forth.
Chares Moore
It's okay to program in Perl Baby-Talk
and we won't laugh.
Larry Wall
My point is not the relative merits of the languages (nor
of their inventors), but just to raise the questions:
Which of these statements is likely to make a
newcomer to the language feel welcomed and
empowered?
and
Which of these is likely to make the newcomer
feel intimidated and apprehensive?
Given that both languages can look intimidating to the
uninitiated -- a sample of FORTH looks like this:
SQRT 1. 1FF. ; *. 1.
*/ ; /. 1. SWAP */
; 3/2 DUP DUP *. *. *.
SQRT DUP 1. - 1 + +
2/ 1. + SWAP OVER /.
+ 2/ ; END
-- I suggest that a welcoming, supportive community can
have a big impact on the acceptance of a language.
-jn-
------------------------------------------------------------
Programming languages: compact, powerful, simple ...
Pick any two!
joel'dot'neely'at'fedex'dot'com
