Aubrey Jaffer wrote: > Here is my "No" vote: > > -=-=-=-=- > > There are many flawed aspects of R5.97RS, which time does not permit > me to cover. I will describe three. > > Macros > > ... > > The effect of adding macros to Scheme has been the proliferation of > mutually incomprehensible language dialects. We have seen the growth > of "convenience" macros like WHENNOT and UNLESS, use of macros as a > substitute for compiler optimization, and use of macros to avoid using > symbols as tokens. None of these uses increases the *expressive power* > of the language. > > "On the Expressive Power of Programming Languages", macro is the way to compose a language that only has a small number of rules to be able to express more. > In a reusable software world, the use of incompatible dialects is > detrimental; it is only through documenting, publishing, and > deliberating, say in a SRFI, that new forms should be adopted into > that "very small number of rules for forming expressions". > > Arrays > > Computations have been organized into multidimensional arrays for over > 200 years. Applications for multi-dimensional arrays are widespread > and continue to arise. Computer graphics and imaging, whether vector > or raster based, use arrays. A general-purpose computer language > without multidimensional arrays is an oxymoron. > > Although multidimensional arrays are the subject of SRFI-25, SRFI-47, > SRFI-58, and SRFI-63, and portably supported by SLIB, search of > http://www.r6rs.org/r6rs-editors/ finds nothing to indicate that the > editors ever considered their inclusion in R6RS. > > Can R5.97R Scheme be extended to support SRFI-63 arrays? > > One story: an unusable version of SRFI-63 was once put in PLT Scheme for about 1 year, yet not any complain was heard. If now there is a vote for SRFI-63, I will definitely vote for no.
> Libraries > > ... Yes, R5.97RS's module system only supports internal linking. But external linking can be provided in a portable fashion on top it (using macros). > Conclusion > > The framework to extend R4RS and R5RS (through redefinition) made it > possible to provide those features that Scheme lacked in a portable > and modular fashion. R5.97RS not only lacks the multidimensional > arrays essential to my work, it has removed the means for remediation > of its deficiencies. > > Chongkai _______________________________________________ r6rs-discuss mailing list [email protected] http://lists.r6rs.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/r6rs-discuss
