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Re: A language idea: Elle



>
>
>
>3. The consultants understand their brief: write an RFP that is
>unquestionable. No time to explore the potential benefits of a language
>with macros: recommend something that is safe.
>
Well, I think if I were in their position I'd do the same thing.  When 
you're trying to do this
kind of contract, experimenting with technology that, as far as you know 
or as far as you
are concerned, is untested and unknown, is just not appropriate.

At the LL1 workshop, the first topic (the panel that I was on) had to do 
with the age-old
question of how to get wonderful new technologies from the labs into 
commercial practice.
I think it has to happen in stages so that the new technologies (whether 
that be macros,
in the sense we mean here, or continuations or object-oriented 
programming or whatever)
get accepted by wider and wider circles, so that by the time you reach 
the far outer circles
(such as the consultants above), the techology gives the impression (and 
one hopes the
correct impression) of being tested and known.  Build a better mousetrap 
and the world
will not necessaily beat a path to your door; promotion and marketing 
are necessary.
Just look at what Gregor Kiczales and his colleagues are doing with 
Aspect-Oriented
Programming and AspectJ.  I think they really understand what it takes, 
and it takes
a lot of hard work, even when what you're giving out is free.