Black holes as syntax, Was: Whitespace as syntax (was Re: Python Rocks!)

[Michael Esveldt]

Brad Howes <bradh at mediaone.net> wrote:

> James Logajan <JamesL at Lugoj.Com> writes:
> 
> > By the way, speaking of code blocks, does anyone know of any languages that
> > use blocks...literally? That is, given the prevalence of GUIs, a development
> > environment/language where code is contained in rectangles?
> 
> The scripting language 'Frontier' has an outline metaphor -- you can
> collapse/expand blocks of code. Check out http://www.userland.com.

The language is actually "Usertalk" while the program it runs in is
Frontier. It's a fuzzy distinction since there's no such as UserTalk
without Frontier.

UserTalk's outlining editor long ago won me over as my programming tool of
choice. I love it so much that I've started writing all my Python code in
Frontier outlines (actually I write everything in collapsible outliners,
code and otherwise.) I've developed a set of tools in UserTalk that have
allowed me to seamlessly merge Frontier's outlines with the
PythonInterperter on my mac.

Anyone using a flat text editor on the mac or windows should check out the
last free version of Frontier at
<http://frontier.userland.com/stories/storyReader$68> It's perfectly
usable and there's a lot of power there to be had for Python programmers
as well as Frontier users. It's a shame it's gone commercial!

Michael

this is a big lie/this is the way the world ends/ringy ding dong duh

_______________________________________________________________
dante at oz.net - Michael Esveldt - #FightThePower on Openprojects