[self-interest] Re: Grammar changes - comments?

[Gilad Bracha]

At 06:30 AM 8/31/99 , Jecel Assumpcao Jr wrote:
>Steve Dekorte wrote:
>> A number of other dynamic scripting languages have also taken up the
>> C++ prefix message syntax.
>
>As far as I can tell, this syntax originated with Apple's Object
>Pascal (I don't know what Simula looked like). 

As I recall, Simula looked pretty much the same. And any language that
combined the common record selection syntax, the common function/procedure
call syntax and first class functions/procedures ends up with the same thing.

>Please note that I think syntax doesn't matter - the future of
>Self is to be more and more graphical. Outliners, for example,
>have eliminated the need to bother with slot declaration syntax
>for the most part (though they could do a better job). The
>syntax for sending messages to object will probably go the
>same way eventually.
>

Concrete syntax shouldn't matter very much, but it does. Most programmers
cannot distinguish between a language and its concrete syntax. Java was
originally marketed as a C++ variant, even though it's dynamic semantics
are closer to Smalltalk. 

BTW, I am sure that textual syntax for expressions will be with us for a
very long time. 

While I'm on the topic: Smalltalk syntax has one minor property that is
kind of nice - it is impossible to give the wrong number of arguments. On
the other hand, it makes supporting optional arguments awkward.


Cheers,  Gilad

*********************************************
Gilad Bracha
Computational Theologist
Sun Java Software
http://java.sun.com/people/gbracha/