Lua Future (Was: Re: The ~)

[erik@... (Erik Hougaard)]

Luiz Henrique de Figueiredo wrote:
> You're free to do as you please, but just don't call the resulting language Lua.

Well I'm calling the language uCoreScript (Lua does not have the hitech
name that the marketing department demands ;-) - but I'm crediting you
guys for making Lua in the startup notes, I hope that thats OK. But the
whole "changing the language" issue is getting quite complicated when
added application functions and tag methods into the discussion - So
when is the language still Lua ? And Lua code also never true portable
due the specific functions added in every implementation. 

I know that preserving a embedded script language is quite difficult -
must implementations fits the classic movie description "Based on true
fiction" - meaning that every implementation of the embedded language is
unique but has a degree of equallity to the original language - some are
true to story, others are not.

Luiz Henrique de Figueiredo also wrote:
>Anyway, it's not something that can be changed now. Sorry.

I accept, agree and understand that the language Lua is fixed, but just
like other languages continues to evolve, so should Lua. So how does
LuaTNG (I have no idea that Next Generation is in Portugies) look like?
are there plans? I know some of the things I would like to see?

1. Binary Tree sorting on tables instead of hash. Or maybe some sort of
plugin system
1. Case statement
1. Language constants - That would compile to values.
1. BCD support for embedded platforms without floating point.

These are just examples I can pull from the top of my head. 
 
Plase do not take this the wrong way, I'm very pleased with Lua and my
company has a lot riding on it. But in these days of "Open Source"
projects - I will have to consider Lua as a "Closed Development - Open
Source" thing. I have very little knowledge of the next version - some
rumors about multi-state, something about better error messages - and a
release date "soon" ! .. Ofcause this might have something to do with me
being in Europe. 

How are the resources on Tecgraf allocated to Lua - is it part of a
class or is it something the teachers do in their spare time, is it
research ? I have no idea. If I came to Brazil for a month, would I be
able to "inhale" some Lua information, tips 'n tricks ? 

Should we organize some resources to contribute to the development Lua -
I'm sure that I'm speaking on behalf of many of us, that we would be
glad to contribute!

/Erik