Re: Metaprogramming

[Steve Litt <slitt@...>]

On Sat, 5 Jul 2014 20:46:30 -0700
William Ahern <william@25thandClement.com> wrote:

> On Sun, Jul 06, 2014 at 12:15:16AM -0300, Carlos Pita wrote:
> > If you do a lot of work with tables you will dislike the syntax:
> > 
> > table{ ....}end
> > 
> > and certainly won't consider {} syntax sugar.
> > 
> > Similarly, if your coding style relies a lot on higher order
> > functions you may find:
> > 
> > function()....end
> > 
> > too noisy in contexts like:
> > 
> > seq:foreach(....) or
> > 
> > seq:map(....) or, worst:
> > 
> > switch(
> >    ...., ....,
> >    ...., ....,
> >    ...
> > )
> > 
> > Lua semantics doesn't preclude this coding style at all (which, btw,
> > is not just about toy dsls). But it syntax discourages it.
> > 
> > I really can't see the ton of effort for a little return here.
> > 
> 
> What's the #1 excuse for not using a language like Lua: popularity.
> 
> It's a valid excuse, because using an unpopular language means more
> time and expense training your engineers, or finding engineers
> comfortable in that language, compounded by the the looonngggg
> maintenance curve. Plus, it makes it more difficult to integrate or
> reuse modules and libraries. (Even if your syntax change doesn't
> hinder using third-party modules, it does hinder your ability to
> reuse your code elsewhere.)
> 
> Now, as niche of a language Lua is, any DSL based on Lua is
> infinitely more so.
> 
> That's a _huge_ cost.
> 
> Python can't hold a candle to the power and capability of PUC Lua,
> yet when a corporation chooses a language like Lua over Python, it's
> a very serious decision because there are immense costs involved,
> immediate and prospective.

It's not just that. Training costs I could work with. I see the problem
as this: Python has so many proven, tested libraries to interface with
just about any technology, that you can start a Python project with
near-certainty that you won't get painted into a corner.

With Lua's less tested and approved add-ons, you can only hope.

Lua's a better language, but for a data processing or user interface
application, success is more certain with Python because of its
libraries.

SteveT

Steve Litt                *  http://www.troubleshooters.com/
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