[erlang-questions] erlang improvement - objective c (or smalltalk) syntax

[Edward Stow]

2009/6/5 Richard O'Keefe <ok@REDACTED>:
>
> On 5 Jun 2009, at 12:21 am, Vlad Dumitrescu wrote:
>>
>> erlIDE shows the function's documentation beside the list with
>> completion suggestions, so the docs are never too far away.
>
> That's fine for someone who is _writing_, and using erlIDE.
> How exactly does it help someone who is _reading_ a listing
> on the train home?
>
> The thing about well-written Smalltalk (or Objective-C) code
> is that it isn't just a matter of a helpful hand when you write,
> the code is a heck of a lot easier to _read_.

Agree ++ .
Programs are read many times by many people with variable knowledge of
the language libraries.

Also the argument for concise syntax may be predicated upon the false
assumption that the speed of your programming is determined by the
speed of your typing.

> Writing Smalltalk, where you'd write
>       aString copyFrom: start to: stop

The canonical form in Smalltalk would be a message selector
     #copyFrom:to:    that can be invoked with an array with two values.

Consider the expressiveness of the following code:

nameInputWidget
   when:  #changed
   send: #udpateWith:



-- 

Edward Stow