5 ms·

I still cannot understand how, in 2015, the ECMAScript spec is maintained by Allen Wirfs-Brock as a Word document. In their (partial) defense, a TC-39 member e

I still cannot understand how, in 2015, the ECMAScript spec is maintained by Allen Wirfs-Brock as a Word document. In their (partial) defense, a TC-39 member explained to me how it's been "good enough" up to now and that for ES7 they want to move to a plain-text based source format from which publishable versions can get generated.

Touche 12y ago
Why not the web?
- billti 12y ago
  The generated version at https://people.mozilla.org/~jorendorff/es6-draft.html https://people.mozilla.org/~jorendorff/es6-draft.html normally follows very close behind the latest drafts. (Side-note: I typically only reference the web version of the ES5 spec also @ http://es5.github.io/ http://es5.github.io/ ).
  - rsuelzer 12y ago
    Which is made with this: https://github.com/jorendorff/es-spec-html https://github.com/jorendorff/es-spec-html if you really need it in HTML format :)
wycats 12y ago
I don't know of any TC39 member who thinks it's "good enough". It's my personal top-priority to leave Word behind as soon as ES6 is shipped.
- jschrf 12y ago
  Here's an interesting script in the TypeScript repo that may be of use: https://github.com/Microsoft/TypeScript/blob/master/scripts/word2md.ts https://github.com/Microsoft/TypeScript/blob/master/scripts/... Something else from the same repo that may also be of use: TypeScript's elegant and well-considered type system... wink wink
  - aikah 12y ago
    A quick look at the compiled script var fileStream = new ActiveXObject("ADODB.Stream"); shows that the script seems to depend on Windows plateform.
    - jschrf 12y ago
      It does, yes. See the comment at the top of the file: It requires cscript.exe, which is more or less just the Windows Script Host. I pointed out the script ostensibly because of the similarities of ES6 and TypeScript both having specs written in Word, and of a desire to convert into a much more web-friendly format. See specs.md: https://github.com/Microsoft/TypeScript/tree/master/doc https://github.com/Microsoft/TypeScript/tree/master/doc Speaking more honestly, I was being a bit tongue-in-cheek and trying to bounce certain eyes onto the TypeScript repo in the continued hopes that its transparent, optional, gradual type system be further considered for future versions of ES (such as 7...wink?)
protomyth 12y ago
Same reason a lot of people use Word, revision tracking. Its the killer feature. Source code control, if it were for the normal person, could work but it would need some editor integrated tooling to show all the changes in place. If you want to replace Word, make this your first and focused feature. The easy, no distraction writing folks are already numerous and successful for their niche.
- viraptor 12y ago
  Wikis have revision tracking and at least they have a global version rather than "document v2 from Bob final8 really (with corrections).docx" Also wikis are as distraction free as it gets...
  - protomyth 12y ago
    I haven't seen a wiki with as good and editor as a standard word processor, also I'm not sure they are as distraction free and the current crop of distraction free apps like Scrivener and WriteRoom. VoodooPad probably qualifies as a wiki / word processor fusion that works really well for writing.

Touche 12y ago

Why not the web?

billti 12y ago
The generated version at https://people.mozilla.org/~jorendorff/es6-draft.html https://people.mozilla.org/~jorendorff/es6-draft.html normally follows very close behind the latest drafts. (Side-note: I typically only reference the web version of the ES5 spec also @ http://es5.github.io/ http://es5.github.io/ ).
- rsuelzer 12y ago
  Which is made with this: https://github.com/jorendorff/es-spec-html https://github.com/jorendorff/es-spec-html if you really need it in HTML format :)

wycats 12y ago

I don't know of any TC39 member who thinks it's "good enough". It's my personal top-priority to leave Word behind as soon as ES6 is shipped.

jschrf 12y ago
Here's an interesting script in the TypeScript repo that may be of use: https://github.com/Microsoft/TypeScript/blob/master/scripts/word2md.ts https://github.com/Microsoft/TypeScript/blob/master/scripts/... Something else from the same repo that may also be of use: TypeScript's elegant and well-considered type system... wink wink
- aikah 12y ago
  A quick look at the compiled script var fileStream = new ActiveXObject("ADODB.Stream"); shows that the script seems to depend on Windows plateform.
  - jschrf 12y ago
    It does, yes. See the comment at the top of the file: It requires cscript.exe, which is more or less just the Windows Script Host. I pointed out the script ostensibly because of the similarities of ES6 and TypeScript both having specs written in Word, and of a desire to convert into a much more web-friendly format. See specs.md: https://github.com/Microsoft/TypeScript/tree/master/doc https://github.com/Microsoft/TypeScript/tree/master/doc Speaking more honestly, I was being a bit tongue-in-cheek and trying to bounce certain eyes onto the TypeScript repo in the continued hopes that its transparent, optional, gradual type system be further considered for future versions of ES (such as 7...wink?)

protomyth 12y ago

Same reason a lot of people use Word, revision tracking. Its the killer feature. Source code control, if it were for the normal person, could work but it would need some editor integrated tooling to show all the changes in place. If you want to replace Word, make this your first and focused feature. The easy, no distraction writing folks are already numerous and successful for their niche.

viraptor 12y ago
Wikis have revision tracking and at least they have a global version rather than "document v2 from Bob final8 really (with corrections).docx" Also wikis are as distraction free as it gets...
- protomyth 12y ago
  I haven't seen a wiki with as good and editor as a standard word processor, also I'm not sure they are as distraction free and the current crop of distraction free apps like Scrivener and WriteRoom. VoodooPad probably qualifies as a wiki / word processor fusion that works really well for writing.