Matthias Felleisen wrote:
>> I have argued at this place before that good language design needs
>> a feedback loop. Language designers write down specs; language
>> implementers translate those specs into compilers and interpreters;
>> programmers use these implementations to produce useful software.
>> The loop comes in when implementers inform designers of flaws,
>> inconsistencies, mistakes, errors, and other internal consistency
>> problems in the specs. This is clearly happening with R6RS, and it
>> is good.
...
>> The last thing we want from a steering committee is a radical
>> commitment to change (whatever it may be)
The R6RS process was a radical change from the R5RS process. Are you
saying that the overall process used for R6RS should not undergo any
further radical changes?
The language specification process can benefit from a feedback loop just
as much as the language specification itself. Between R5RS and R6RS we
have what amounts to two process extremes. I hope that we can learn
from these and improve the process in future, and find a balance. Some
of the more necessary improvements may qualify as radical.
>> What we do want is a committee that is willing to figure out how
>> the listening is going to happen;
Most definitely.
>> how we can possibly finance a systematic way of listening (writing
>> NSF grants, anyone?); how the feedback is best channeled into
>> language design.
>>
>> Let's hope we get such a steering committee. The Scheme community
>> deserves it.
Amen. But the Scheme community should keep in mind that without its
constructive involvement, it is unlikely that *any* process will have an
optimal outcome. One of the Steering Committee's tasks should be to
make sure that it's possible for community members to become
constructively involved, but no committtee can force people to do that.
This is where the phrase "People get the leadership they deserve"
comes from.
Anton
_______________________________________________
r6rs-discuss mailing list
[email protected]
http://lists.r6rs.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/r6rs-discuss
