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I'd like to see a language that can clearly model concurrency using a Petri Net-like structure, ie a data flow language with flexible state/transition handling.
by kitd 4y ago
I'd like to see a language that can clearly model concurrency using a Petri Net-like structure, ie a data flow language with flexible state/transition handling.
Technically, the runtime is the easy part (relatively speaking). Modelling an array of swimlanes on a plain-text 2D page is the real challenge here IMO.
- bmitc 4y agoCan you say more about this or have any particular references or applications? This seems interesting, and I'd like to know more. Is there any reason why this couldn't be a full 2D visual language, if done right?
- kitd 4y agoYes, it certainly could be (and probably has been) a visual language. And it could also be a plain text-based language too. But a visual language either requires specialist tooling which I think deters a large number of people, or if implemented in plain text, degenerates into ASCII art, which is very hard to manipulate in a simple text editor (believe me, I've tried!) A structured non-visual language is also possible, but that turns fairly quickly into a functional language which per se is not bad, but is not helpful when trying to present the overall flow of data around the network. You still have to jump around the file from function to function to try and understand what is going on. There must be a middle ground out there somewhere. Simple plain text presentation of multiple streams of processing.
- bmitc 4y agoThanks for the thoughts. Any particular references or applications of Petri nets? I found the book Petri Net Theory and the Modeling of Systems by James Peterson. I have either never heard of Petri nets or had but didn't pay attention.
- ChadNauseam 4y agoAlso check out https://statebox.org/ https://statebox.org/
- openfuture 4y agoI'm doing something along these lines.