13 ms·
> Actually, in my opinion, Scheme (and Lisp) allows you to express complex systems and problem domains in more simple terms than any other language can. Short
by ggm 6mo ago
> Actually, in my opinion, Scheme (and Lisp) allows you to express complex systems and problem domains in more simple terms than any other language can.
Short article. Worth reading. But all I swallowed was this one sentence.
Its the sytax. If you like semicolons, thats why you like Pascal-like languages.
- reikonomusha 6mo agoFor all practical purposes, the syntax of Lisp isn't just a cosmetic choice, though.
- rauli_ 6mo agoLisp was meant to be written with M-expressions instead of S-expressions anyway.
- reikonomusha 6mo agoFor a brief period of time over 60 years ago, yes. :)
- SideQuark 6mo agoM-expressions were never implemented and never used.
- Grosvenor 6mo agoExcept in mathematica - which isn’t formally a lisp, but practically it’s used like one a lot of the time.
- ux266478 6mo agoHaskell's syntax comes from ISWIM, which was motivated quite a lot by m-expressions.
- vincent-manis 6mo agoActually, variations on M-expressions have been created many times in the Lisp world. (Look what you can do with macros!) So far, none of them has caught on. The latest attempt for Scheme is SRFI-266, which creates a very nice infix expression sublanguage. If I were working on a team, I would encourage them to use this, but I don't know if it has enough traction to become widespread.
- pfdietz 6mo agoIt's a common mistake to think that the syntax of Lisps are a problem. People solving the supposed problem then discover it wasn't something that needed to be solved.
- drob518 6mo agoIf you want a Lisp that basically has M-expressions, try Dylan. It even started with an S-expression syntax initially and then converted to infix.
- attila-lendvai 6mo agoit's not just the syntax. the entire language, and even the ecosystem in general, has relatively few atoms that can be combined with a higher degree of freedom than the alternatives. it has both upsides and downsides. the upsides mostly win for me.