Here, here. I agree with Mike. The average user--be they newbie or seasoned lisper--needs a comprehensive website to go to for all of their information needs with an intuitive interface that is shared by all parts of the information repository.
I think it would be really great starting point to go ahead and compile a list of all the great resources for Lisp on the web right now and get in touch with each one to work out the details of combining them all into one exhaustive online resource. I believe that once we've got a good collection of the current resources already available, and a central website to link to them all (and hopefully to provide a common contribution envrionment--e.g., Wiki, submission to a standards group, whatever) it will be easier to see what needs to be finished, improved, tested, documented, etc. So, here is my idea for how we can really get this ball rolling: 1) Compile a list of all available, free, online resources for Lisp 2) Get the permision of each author to incorporate their site into a comprehensive online Lisp resource. 3) Create said comprehensive resource (consistent design and others can come later, but for the time being just a central point would be nice), 4) Start outlining projects that need help and what needs to be done. 5) Setup some kind of sign up list for each of the "To Do"'s so that interested people can commit to helping a particular project 6) Solve all problems and take over the universe (maybe a bit ambitious, but you have to start somewhere). Peter, what would you think of this idea? Maybe I'm too much of a neat freek, but I like to get a bit organized before jumping in and tackling a problem. Christopher On 12/15/05, Michael J Forster <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > On Thu, Dec 15, 2005 at 10:21:26AM -0600, Joshua Stone wrote: > > On Dec 15, 2005, at 3:52 AM, Tim Cross wrote: > > > > > One of the most difficult problems I've encountered with lisp is in > > > finding the appropriate function for doing some task. Many times I've > > > looked for some functionality which I knew was likely to exist, but > > > couldn't find the appropriate function. Some of this was due to not > > > being familiar with lisp nameing conventions/style and part of it is > > > due to the large number of functions available in CL. While the > > > hyperspec is great once you know what your looking for, its not so > > > good when you have an idea or know the general area, but not the > > > name. I've often ended up re-inventing the wheel only to stumble > > > across a built in function that does the same job. While this can be a > > > good way to learn, it really slows down your development time and that > > > can be somewhat discouraging at times. > > > > So are you suggesting something like an "idiomatic dictionary" for > > Common Lisp? I.e., we all probably implemented a "sum" function before > > we 'discovered' #'reduce, right (on a side-note, everyone always > > complains about the semantic inaccessibility of CL function names, but > > compare "reduce" to Ruby's "inject" -- crazy, huh?)? I like this idea, > > if only because it seems to me that PCL is just about the only truly > > practical approach to "how to do stuff" in Lisp (I'm sure I'm wrong, so > > feel free to correct me -- I won't be surprised). > > > > If I recall correctly, Paul Graham does discuss some common idioms in > > Common Lisp in "On Lisp", though it's really not the point of the book. > > I have been quite embarrassed at times to show my code to other people > > just to have them say, "Oh, you don't need that function..." > > > I think the the Common Lisp Cookbook [1] addresses this to some > extent at least. Rather than duplicate that work, could we combine > our efforts? Would the Cookbook and Gardeners admins be interested > in integrating the sites and documentation? I'll say it again: > one site, one look and feel, one navigation, one set of standards. > > > -Mike > > > [1] http://cl-cookbook.sourceforge.net/ > > -- > Michael J. Forster > Shared Logic Inc. > > _______________________________________________ > Gardeners mailing list > [email protected] > http://www.lispniks.com/mailman/listinfo/gardeners > -- Christopher Roach [EMAIL PROTECTED] _______________________________________________ Gardeners mailing list [email protected] http://www.lispniks.com/mailman/listinfo/gardeners
