🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <39jpu1$e9u@loupe.ezsrc.mrg.uswest.com>,
chris fedde <chris@loupe.ezsrc.mrg.uswest.com> wrote:
> Quoting Tom Christiansen  <tchrist@mox.perl.com>
> Peter da Silva <peter@nmti.com> writes:
> >> [TCL]'s just not good for large applications.

> >I'm not talking about large applications. I'm talking about extension
> >languages. I wouldn't use "make", "nroff", or HTML for large applications
> >either.

> Are you so blinded by the bright light of declarative semantics
> that you fail to see examples of your own argument?  With the
> possible exception of make the languages you list above have been
> used with great success in the context of moderate to large systems.

I think you're blinded by something, too.

You're extrapolating way beyond anything I intended. Is it so hard to
differentiate between:

	1. Writing a large application (tens of thousands of lines
	   of code) in a programming language.
	2. Using a programming language as part of a large system.
	3. Writing a large collection of small applications in a
	   programming language.
	4. Creating a metalanguage, and writing an application in
	   that.

I'm talking about case 1.

> It is apparent that troff has been used with some success in at
> least one application of moderate size that we are all familiar
> with.

This is a combination of 3 and 4. "-man" is a metalanguage, and each
man page is a standalone "program", with no connection between the
components.

> In the case of HTML, I for one would not want to claim that the
> web is small.

Again, this is case 3.

> In their target domains each of these languages, including make,
> performs admirably "in the large."  I find your comment that they
> are merely "extension languages" that are inappropriate for use in
> contexts of large systems irresponsible.

I can't argue with that, since I didn't say any such thing.

If you want to redirect followups back from alt.flame, drop the flaming, eh?
-- 
Peter da Silva                                            `-_-'
Network Management Technology Incorporated                 'U`
1601 Industrial Blvd.     Sugar Land, TX  77478  USA
+1 713 274 5180                       "Hast Du heute schon Deinen Wolf umarmt?"