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I smell fear of macros. A macro is just another function, but it does some code transformation. The code base will not explode, the world will not stop revolvi
by lispm 10y ago
I smell fear of macros.
A macro is just another function, but it does some code transformation. The code base will not explode, the world will not stop revolving, just because a few macros.
I use LispWorks, which adds a few hundred macros (amongst many other things) to Common Lisp. It's still Common Lisp, but extended with macros for defining new data types, macros for defining UI features, even a few new control structures have been added. For most of the stuff I don't even have the source code, since it is a closed commercial product - but the macros are documented.
Lisp is still used and one of the reasons is its seamless integration of various meta-programming facilities. This requires developers to learn a slightly more complicated language. But in larger projects this is not more difficult than learning the architecture tools of large OO frameworks - frameworks which are common in Java, Javascript and many other languages.
- derefr 10y agoNot fear, not at all. Resentment. I work on a codebase full of macros. I wrote a lot of them, when I was more naive. And now I'm the one who can't get any help with my code, because nobody wants to spend the time to familiarize themselves. :/
- kazinator 10y agoWhat have you done to get people interested in the code base? Have you conducted a survey which confirms that lots of people want to help, but for the macros? Or are you guessing at the reasons? First of all, do lots of people use it; is there a large user to contributor ratio? It's hard to get help with a FOSS project no matter what; the ones that get help are vastly outnumbered by those which don't get help. According to openhub.net, "over half of all active projects [listed] on Open Hub are solo efforts". (This is boiler plate text which appears in the summary of projects which are that way.)