[Cuis-dev] Double colon syntax

[Juan Vuletich]

Hi Boris,

On 5/17/2022 9:04 AM, Boris Shingarov via Cuis-dev wrote:
> I would use caution before I celebrate the double-colon.
>
> (Like the semicolon), it is *adding* stuff instead of *removing*.  And 
> it's not just adding anywhich stuff, it's adding *syntax*, which is 
> supposed to fit on a postcard.  The sad reality is that our syntax is 
> much more complex than many competitor languages', which manage to 
> achieve in the library what we do with syntax.  (Do we still fit on a 
> postcard with the double-colon)? I've been thinking about the reasons 
> why we can't have #; and #:: as selectors (like, say, in Haskell $ 
> does exactly what :: does in Cuis but $ is just another regular 
> function) and there is a lot of work ahead of us to make things 
> composable.
>

There's always a tension between adding features and fighting 
complexity. Cuis is way larger and more complex than Smalltalk-80, for 
instance. But still, much simpler and smaller than Squeak or Pharo.

Some decisions are easy. Syntax highlight is too good not to have it, 
even if it added an additional parser for incomplete code. Some are 
tougher. Should TrueType and VectorGraphics be in the base image? What 
about Refactoring tools? And a module system? I think that we are doing 
reasonably well in Cuis so far.

WRT the postcard, I never got it. To me the big advantage of Smalltalk 
over most languages is not so much a small syntax (although some other 
languages suck badly at this), but the few reserved words.

Cheers,

-- 
Juan Vuletich
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