[REBOL] Re: Jonathan Edwards >> subtext
From: carl::cybercraft::co::nz at: 27-Jan-2005 11:06
On Thursday, 27-January-2005 at 0:00:21 you wrote,
>Rebolers all will appreciate this...
>
>http://subtextual.org/
>
>Subtext - Uncovering the simplicity of programming
>
>Jonathan Edwards screencast presentation
>http://subtextual.org/demo1.html
Text is a dead-end
Programming is stuck in an evolutionary dead-end: the use of character strings to encode
programs. Every other computer-mediated form of expression has evolved beyond text into
sophisticated WYSIWYG interfaces to complex data structures. For example, no one still
uses textual markup for word processing (except, notably, Computer Scientists with TeX).
We need WYSIWYG programming."
I've stopped thinking that way - text is cool. Consider Web Design. Someone hits a
problem using their sophisticated WYSIWYG behemoth of a program and asks you for help.
But you use a different behemoth of a program to design your websites - end of discussion.
If you were both working at the HTML level though, you'd not only be on the same wavelength
but you could also look at their HTML as well - which is a pointless exercise with the
sophisticated WYSIWYG behemoths.
-- Carl Read.