tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5722310642266356003.post9113628084959663066..comments2024-01-07T23:21:32.676+01:00Comments on The Axis of Eval: When I see that Ruby's parser is 10,000 lines of CUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5722310642266356003.post-35354695146317392292012-07-16T18:40:57.406+02:002012-07-16T18:40:57.406+02:00"I think Ruby is important because it showed ..."I think Ruby is important because it showed that the Lisp-style mix of object-oriented, semi-functional, and (limited, in Ruby's case) metaprogramming is widely applicable."<br /><br />I'm not so sure. I wrote in an enterprise setting a little ruby script that parsed some xml input file, generated an in-memory ruby sexp, and translated it into a C++ program, and to my great surprise, I got remarks from coworkers and project manager asking me why I wrote Lisp!? And I didn't even use parentheses around ruby expressions as I like to do, it was plain honest Ruby.<br /><br />The problem is not with the languages, it's in the minds.pjbhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09065388232282458321noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5722310642266356003.post-82144305714773411292012-07-15T22:56:44.977+02:002012-07-15T22:56:44.977+02:00I was programming ruby before rails came about. Ba...I was programming ruby before rails came about. Back then, parse errors would sporadically appear without rhyme or reason. Add or subtract a space or newline, randomly jostle the code, and it worked again. parse.y has never gotten better in a real sense, and while the common issues have been resolved, one can only hope to approach correctness asymptotically.<br /><br />The incompatible syntax change between 1.8.6 and 1.8.7 was incredible. I still cannot understand how this was not seen as obviously retarded. Point releases shouldn't be incompatible in any sense, much less on the language level.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5722310642266356003.post-46276968079140618582012-07-13T20:47:18.228+02:002012-07-13T20:47:18.228+02:00Yes, and ruby on rails really opened the whole &qu...Yes, and ruby on rails really opened the whole "polyglot" era by being so good at generating a Hello World web app. Although "polyglot" is my least favorite pop-CS word right after "homoiconic".<br /><br />The big problem is ruby and rails technically have gone nowhere since. Good start, no finish.patrickdloganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09030151653908100586noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5722310642266356003.post-44922339568331238522012-07-13T17:44:19.977+02:002012-07-13T17:44:19.977+02:00I think Ruby is important because it showed that t...I think Ruby is important because it showed that the Lisp-style mix of object-oriented, semi-functional, and (limited, in Ruby's case) metaprogramming is widely applicable.Manuel Simonihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07840673741485280526noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5722310642266356003.post-63837584267354225962012-07-12T15:20:16.310+02:002012-07-12T15:20:16.310+02:00Alan Kay refers to programming today as pop cultur...Alan Kay refers to programming today as pop culture. When I saw the rise of ruby, and I saw the so-called definition of ruby, and I saw the implementation of ruby, I had the same reaction. I just couldn't find as good a label. But that's exactly it.patrickdloganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09030151653908100586noreply@blogger.com