[REBOL] Teaching Rebol => was:{Re: Re: Parsing comment}
From: jason::cunliffe::verizon::net at: 25-Sep-2002 19:27
Hi Carl
> I programmed in Forth and LOGO a long time ago, so REBOL's wordy-ness
> is not a new concept to me. While I think it should scale well, I
> wonder how easy large programs would be to maintain once the original
> programmers have moved on. "Ummm, is that REBOL code in that block,
> or someone's dialect?" (:
That is where Python's IDE is great. You can look stuff up many ways, and even
get syntax hints on the fly. With conscienscious Docstrings and a 'smart' shell,
Rebol could too. There's lots of good IDE ideas around.
How about:
- colorized syntax for all user functions
- status trees in the margin which shows words come from
- frequency of use. indicate not only wher but often many times this word has
been used.
It is very helpful to know say that this is first time a word has appeard since
it was defined. Nice to rebolize that of course, like show when a word is used
for the first time outside of function or object definition. outside of the
current file [has been loaded]
> The console and all those datatypes make your code easy to test and to
> trial different ways of doing things. I seem to spend more time
> searching for the names of REBOL's native words (which this old brain
> has forgotten again:) than I do in tracking down bugs.
My main concern about Dialects is that the new extra vocabulary/syntax to learn
and lack of indication. Great for the original deevloper, but alreadyknwo it
inside out. But gets harder the further you go from that even though the code
looks cleaner and is focused on the applcaition domain closely.
> > What do think about REBOL being used as 'first'
> > language and/or for kids?
> Tim Johnson would be a better person to ask I think, as he's had some
> experience of teaching REBOL to kids. I'd think it would have quite
Thanks. I did not know that.
> The downside would be the lack of documentation, (especially for
> View), plus the lack of experienced REBOL programmers to teach the
> language. Not a good look when the teacher doesn't know the answer
> to a question and hasn't the resources to find it.
Amen.
Python is kicking Rebol's ass there.
thanks
./Jason
