[REBOL] The OSCAR Diaries - Initial Entry ( LONG! ) Re:
From: tbrownell:yah:oo at: 26-Sep-2000 9:47
Which proves this list not only allows OPINIONS, but
is UNMODERATED.
Terry Brownell
--- [edinburgh--veitchi--co--uk] wrote:
> The OSCAR Diaries - Initial Entry ( LONG! )
>
> Hello everybody, this is the first entry of what
> I hope will be a fairly regular update of the
> activities & thoughts of the OSCAR Project.
>
> For those of you who don't know,
>
> OSCAR: :REBOL
>
> or
>
> OSCAR: Open Source Code Aka REBOL
>
> A project I raised on the list last week upon
> which nobody except Ryan Cole commented directly,
> rather everybody preferred to debate the merits
> & wisdom of open source software / REBOL.
>
> REBOL is not Open Source & isn't likely to be
> anytime soon.
> Carl & REBOL Technologies have frequently stated
> this
> right from the early days, that is their right & I
> fully
> respect their position.
>
> I believe in the principle of Free Software & the
> practical
> benefits of open source code for quality of code &
> learning,
> however I also believe in the developers freedom to
> choose
> how to distribute their software and that is why
> Carl & REBOL
> have my full respect & support for the great work
> they are doing.
>
> OSCAR is not Open Source for Open Source Code's
> sake.
> Rather it is because I do not have all the necessary
> skills
> or answers or knowledge regarding Language &
> Interpreter
> implementation.
>
> Just now the OSCAR Project is only me ( Mark Dickson
> ) & my thoughts.
>
> Anybody is free to join me & contribute to the
> project whether
> through supplying Code, providing thoughts &
> comments & examples
> of REBOL behaviour & theories on it's
> implementation, or by
> helping to Document the project & write a Formal
> Specification
> for REBOL the Language until such times as Carl & RT
> see fit to
> provide us with one.
>
> So consider this as your official invitation to help
> out in
> whichever way you think you can contribute.
>
> Only Ryan Cole commented directly on the project
> saying he
> would not contribute to it nor recommend anybody to
> support it.
> I respect your decision Ryan but hope maybe in
> future you
> might see fit to change your mind, the door is
> always open
> for you.
>
> Why am I doing this ?
>
> Some people have suggested that by pursuing open
> source REBOL
> at this time might hurt REBOL in a commercial sense
> or might
> fragment REBOL as a language & technology.
>
> I don't agree with this and is not the reason for
> OSCAR.
> OSCAR will attempt REBOL, act-like REBOL, adhere-to
> REBOL.
> If a feature doesn't behave like REBOL behaves then
> it won't
> go in OSCAR.
>
> I PROMISE I will not Fork REBOL, including any bugs.
> We may wish to discuss with RT implementation
> features & bugs
> etc. but that's what happens already on this list
> anyway.
>
> Regarding Commercially damaging REBOL Technologies,
> I refute
> this also. A fully working open source REBOL Clone
> will open
> doors for REBOL as a technology.
> For example;
>
> 1. On DEBIAN Systems & those who only use Free /
> Open Source Software.
>
> 2. In Enterprises where a Technology is only
> considered if there
> are 2 independent implementations or suppliers to
> ensure continuity
> of availability.
>
> It is my belief that anything that help's to promote
> the use
> & availability of REBOL creates a bigger potential
> market for
> REBOL Technologies as well as benefiting those on
> this list
> with an interest in the future commercial use of
> REBOL.
>
> All that out of the way the true reasons for OSCAR:
> :REBOL
> is that I am full of admiration for Carl's design's
> & achievements.
> Technology wise, He truly is a master worth
> emulating & following.
>
> I want to REALLY understand REBOL. I believe that
> the language
> is so good & powerful that I want to work out how
> the magic is done.
> That is the true reason for OSCAR. It is open source
> because I need
> other peoples help & want other people with a
> similar interest to
> share the fun.
>
> This is how Carl & others learned, I've read
> articles about REBOL
> where Carl describes himself as a bit of a language
> & operating systems
> fanatic and he learned by writing his own
> implementations. If self help
> and learning through practice is how Carl gained his
> skills, surely
> this is the best way for us to proceed.
>
> This way we can learn by standing on the shoulders
> of Giants.
> We already have the answer book, let's figure out
> the true nature
> of the questions Carl & REBOL solve.
>
> I myself have an understanding of ANSI C & Modula-2
> / Pascal languages.
> Iam currently reading books on language &
> interpreter implementations
> in Scheme. For those of you interested these books
> are;
> The Structure & Interpretation of Computer Programs.
> Programming & Meta-Programming in Scheme.
>
> In REBOL Iam trying to get my head around what a
> BLOCK! really is
> and how OBJECTS! & PORTS! differ from blocks in both
> an abstract
> & practical implementation sense. Questions like
> these fill my
> head as well as things like, Are REBOL datatypes!
> like Structures
> in C or Records in Pascal? Is 'Print native! an
> extension of
> C printf function & Pascal Writeln etc?
>
> The First Goal for OSCAR is to write a toy REBOL
> Interpreter,
> this will have the following capabilities;
>
> Simple Arithmetic ( Prefix first - Infix Later )
> Defining Words
> Printing a Word or String
>
> These are basic initial operations, which involve
> input, output,
> functions, operators & words and involve
> manipulating data on
> the stack for evaluation.
>
> Those with the necessary skill & knowledge can
> provide additional
> functionality like files & network operation &
> advanced datatypes.
> Any HELP offered is welcomed.
>
> When all this in depth technical & abstract rubbish
> is not filling
> my head, I will be contributing to the REBMail
> project with my
> REEMACS thoughts & designs and when Iam not doing
> that
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