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Re: Why I don't use Dylan
In article <Acz65.6788$Zr5.723107@typhoon.ne.mediaone.net>,
swm@mediaone.net says...
> So there are 30-day free evaluations for everything from Fun-O.
>
> I also can't fathom for the life of me why someone would simultaneously
> think that Dylan might almost be the ultimate programming language,
> but then won't even take the trouble to see that there is a free evaluation,
> and furthermore spreads misinformation to other people about them
> having to pay money even to try it.
[...]
> tejavu@my-deja.com wrote in message <8je1hp$53j$1@nnrp1.deja.com>...
[...]
> >downloaded version 2 from F.O. and started to give it a try, by
> >following the examples and/or tutorials. I started at the beginning,
> >where it suggested starting with the Reversi example. But when I went
> >there, it said something to the effect that I had to pay money for
> >libraries before I could proceed with that
Okay, so tejavu missed that the libraries could be tried free. But apart
from that, I think the point is valid, because that same thing tripped me
up too. The point is that this is *the main example* at the *beginning*
of the help for the free product. If I download a free C compiler, I
don't expect to have to download a separate, time-limited trial version
of some other thing in order to try "hello, world", especially if the
help hasn't mentioned it. And yes, I know there's a "hello world" program
included, but it isn't what the Quick Start topic in the help files uses.
Another gotcha, while we're on the subject, is the way the example
programs are paused so that you can read their output. If the dialog box
that tells you they are paused was to say "and you can un-pause them by
clicking the "start" button again", that would be an improvement in
usability out of all proportion to the effort involved.
Peter.
--
peter@harle Harlequin Ltd, Barrington Hall,
quin.co.uk Barrington, Cambs CB2 5RG, England.
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