GEN, HLL+ [far26]

[Gary D. Duzan]

In Message <9304112239.AA00364@clipper.ens.fr> ,
   Francois-Rene Rideau <rideau@clipper.ens.fr> wrote:

=>
=> I'd like to regularly post a list of pros and cons about a new language,
=>and its features. This is new version of far25.
=> Here I compare to C++. I added C++ cons 6,7,8 and NewHLL req 5.
=>Please add comments about other languages. I'll summarize.

   I have only a brief four part reply:

1) You have accurately expressed the ideal case, but like it or
   not, MOOSE is not going to be ideal.

2) Adding language and multi-platform compiler design would
   increase the system design and implementation time by at least a
   factor of two.

3) Such a design would alienate all those who would use other
   languages with the system.

4) Surely there are other languages in existence that would do
   better than C++ and yet avoid the time and energy of creating and
   implementing a new one.

   I wouldn't mind working on a complete language-based system, but I
would think a year or two wouldn't be too high an estimate for the
extra time necessary. How's this sound? We build the initial system
as a standard microkernel-based system, building a language-based
subsystem on top. If the subsystem works well, we can make the next
major release based entirely on the subsystem. In the meantime,
objects could be built either on top of the microkernel or on top of
the subsystem. If the basic interface is similar enough, porting from
one to the other shouldn't be too difficult. In this way we can work
towards a working system and an ideal one at the same time.

                                        Gary Duzan
                                        Time  Lord
                                    Third Regeneration
                         Humble Practitioner of the Computer Arts