Re: The Accessibility of Type Theory Research

[James McCartney <address@hidden>]

On Nov 20, 2003, at 6:37 AM, Peter J. Wasilko wrote:

>> Most of OO people don't even heard about the sigma calculus but think
>> they "grok" objects.
>
> My only quible with this logic is that it confuses mastery of a thing,
> with mastery of the mathematics and notation used by academics to
> discuss the thing.
>
> This raises the old Art - Craft - Science debate (see Knuth).


I am one of those who doesn't grok those papers. In fact I don't even 
try. I see those symbols, never learned them, so don't even bother. My 
interest in language design is due to there having been no languages 
sufficiently dynamic and sufficiently real time for my purposes doing 
computer music. The idea that we who don't grok type theory symbols 
should stay out of language design reminds me of the part in 100 Years 
of Solitude where people were flying around the village on magic 
carpets while the local scientist scoffed and refused to let his family 
partake in the new fad until he figured out a scientific basis for it. 
The unwashed masses will find their own way to use what is available in 
spite of the academics.

-- 
--- james mccartney