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Re: Dylan Newbie just wanting to say hi.

In article <38cc1f8f.11108717@nntp.fuse.net>, wayne_blackburn@fuse.net
(Wayne Blackburn) wrote:

> Hi everyone, I am both a newbie with Dylan, as well a newbie in
> computer programming for that matter.

Welcome!


> I've studied Java some, read
> like 8-9 large java tutorials, etc., in hopes of learning enought to
> create games, etc, when I stumblied upon Dylan.  I've tried to study
> C++, for that matter C, but became very disillusioned with their
> memory leaks, and source-code unreadiblity

C++ is the best and most powerful language for experienced professionals
that is in widespread use, but it's murder for those who are not yet
experts in it.  It's what I choose when I have to do a real project that
needs to be fast and small.

Java is in many ways better than C++, but is crippled in many other ways,
and is only slowly crawling towards what Dylan already is.  It's faster to
program in than is C++, but (so far) very slow to execute.

Dylan has the promise of allowing very quick coding, very safely, but at
the same time producing fast and small executables and letting the
programmer fine-tune the trade-offs that C++ and Java make for you.

We're not *quite* there yet, but getting closer.  In many cases, d2c and
HD produce programs that are indistinguishable from C++ in speed, but at
the moment the compiled programs tend to be a bit big adn the compilers
are slow.


> Now the only weakness I can
> see in Dylan, is its lack of support by both the industry and its
> small numbers of website, which makes it hard for a newbie like me to
> find much in the ways of tutorials and studied guides.

Hopefully that will change with time...


> if support continues to grow for Dylan, I'm sure it will become,
> in a short time, a true choice for the many newbie as well as
> experience programmers, out there who want to use something as stable,
> flexible and powerful as Dylan.

That's certainly what we all think and hope here!


> Finally I hope that you all will allow
> me to join your ranks and regularily post here, I'm sure that I will
> have many annoying and frustrating Dylan questions, as well as quite a
> few programming newbie questions, as well. Thank you.

You're more than welcome.  This newsgroup needs more newbie questions!

-- Bruce
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