Re: LANG: Dynamic characteristics

Mark Waks (justin@dsd.camb.inmet.com)
Thu, 14 Jul 94 16:22:01 EDT


Kevin writes:
>these discussions of Lisp and Forth disturb me a little bit. We want everyday
>people to be able to create VRML documents. You can't expect an accountant
>from Des Moines to learn lisp just for this?
> [...]
>We need a really simple, english-like scripting language, in my opinion, if we
>want real people to write scripts.

Actually, what we need are good graphical design tools. I have yet to
see an "English-like" language that an average person can actually
use successfully without a fair bit of frustration. (And yes, I've
played with a lot of them.)

Remember, we're talking about the way to create *sophisticated*
functionality. Basic movement capabilities and such can be integral to
the objects (eg, Inventor's engines). But people are going to want to
create scenes of considerable dynamic complexity in Cyberspace, and
that's going to require pretty sophisticated tools. If we limit
ourselves to what a non-programmer can produce, we're never going
to be able to explore cyberspace's real potential -- this *will*
reduce us to the lowest common denominator.

Without question, we should have some good WYSIWYG tools that a
non-techie can use to produce scenes that are pretty and functional.
But we also need hooks, so that the sophisticated author can really
push the envelope. And that's where this dynamic language comes in...

-- Justin
Who has a suspicion that Mark is going
to tell us to get back to the point
any minute now...

Random Quote du Jour:

"... I used to think there was a definite connection between Ignorance
and Bliss ... but then I began reading messages on Usenet, and discovered
how unhappy some of the writers were ... :)"
-- Pat Townsend