Bazar in Python (fwd)

[Brian Rice]

I forgot to send this response to the list.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Mon, 26 Mar 2001 13:48:43 -0800 (PST)
From: Brian Rice <water@bespin.org>
To: arigo@ulb.ac.be
Subject: Re: Bazar in Python

I just looked through your code, and yes we seem to be on very close paths
here. Thank you very much for this port; it certainly makes everything
clear.
I also looked at your Bazar information and it looks theoretically very
similar to Arrows. Perhaps the only difference is the consideration (or
reservation) I have had for strictly sticking with topos theory and
categories on their own. Basically my categorical classes for Arrow
would do the same as your python code does for Bazar. But this seems
insignificant in comparison with the similarities.
I think we should collaborate on these. We might have different directions
we want to take our respective systems in. For example, I am studying the
possibility of reifying parsing and scanning and lexing and all that
within first-class graphs (or perhaps categories or local sets in your
system). Also the ability to deal with it in a most general equational
sense, where the direction from prime to derived objects can be changed
transparently.
I promise to look very closely at your code to see what kinds of
differences we have on the small points, and also to see what patterns
you've used. I might actually improve my code that way (I hope you don't
mind me grabbing ideas from you if I need them ;).

What do you think? Do you suppose we could combine the theories into a
single one? Perhaps even the papers could be mutually benefitted.

Thanks,
~