RE: How can we make lua better?

[Philippe Lhoste <PhiLho@...>]

> > I suspect the creators of lua are deeply influenced by the content of
this 
> > list, so I would simply like to implore and encourage everybody on it to

> > think about the question "How can we make lua simpler (and not less 
> > powerful)".
> 
> I think 5.0 addresses some of these things. Things like userdata and tag
> methods are simpler and, in the case of the latter, take advantage of
> existing language constructs (tag methods as normal tables).
> 
> But yeah, I agree with you... except when I make a feature suggestion.
> :-)

I agree with you too, that's what make Lua powerful, its aim for power
through simplicity and slimness.
I like also that the authors don't hesitate to drop or change features if
they feel it will improve the language.
It can be annoying for programmers integrating Lua in their applications
("How I do that, now that this feature is gone") but they can always use the
older version. If they upgrade, it is because the new Lua gives more advantages
than annoyances :-)

This politics keep Lua streamlined, because it doesn't have to be bloated by
supporting obsolete features. If you have dived into the Win32 API, you know
want I mean... Of course, the installed base is not comparable...

Now, we don't need strip Lua off all its "redundant" features (those that
can be made in Lua itself), because they also are beneficial for readability
and ease of the programmer.
I am thinking of syntaxic sugar (function f () instead of f = function ())
or the for loop or similar things that the manual itself explains in Lua
code...
Removing these will probably only reduce the final executable by a
negligeable amount of size.

PS.: Of course, I suppose you meant that for the core Lua. The standard
library, or additional libraries, which are optional anyway, have much room for
improvement and new features.

Regards.

-- 
--=#=--=#=--=#=--=#=--=#=--=#=--=#=--=#=--=#=--
Philippe Lhoste (Paris -- France)
Professional programmer and amateur artist
http://jove.prohosting.com/~philho/
--=#=--=#=--=#=--=#=--=#=--=#=--=#=--=#=--=#=--

GMX - Die Kommunikationsplattform im Internet.
http://www.gmx.net