InterLanguage Connectivity Solutions

[Eric W. Biederman]

The issue of how to interface multiple languages together, has never
been terribly difficult, but it has been a lot of work.  Having
programs in multiple languages communicate can be made a lot simpler.
The best approach I have seen is to have a ``interface definition
language'' (IDL) and multiple compiler for it that create stubs in
various languages.  If we could use this technique and let the
interfaces be language independant in TUNES we could probably go a
long way. 

The Object Mangament Group (OMG) and Corba seem to be a good starting point
in that direction.  

I like the idea of an IDL if semmantics is to be the important thing.
Furthermore if we have an IDL we could concentrate on the _interfaces_
that are needed to write tunes in.  We can then split out and work on
an OO filesystem, and other things that it takes to create an OOOS,
you know a primordial oooz, that is to be TUNES. :)

An example of an OS that has done things in a similiar manner to what
I'm thinking is Spring from sun.

<a href = "http://www.sun.com:80/tech/projects/spring/papers.html">
Spring Bibliography</a>

Hope that puts a new spin on our musical engine, that useful not
expedient system. Comments and requests to further references are
welcome.

Eric