C's syntax (was Re: Python Formatted C Converter (PfCC))

[Glyph Lefkowitz]

"Alex Martelli" <aleaxit at yahoo.com> writes:

> "Glyph Lefkowitz" <glyph at no.spam> wrote in message
> > (Also, there's the fact that C's syntax is actually pretty good for
> > doing what C does)
> 
> I strongly disagree.  C's syntax has glaring flaws, such as being
> unparsable "locally" -- i.e., without knowing what typedef's have
> been previously met.  For example:
> 
>     foo * bar;

I do not disagree that C is awful :) but "what C does" in this
context, is mostly being compatible with C.  Keep in mind that C is
not just a language, but a suite of associated tools and techniques
and assumptions that it carries.  In order to make a worthwhile
competitor, you have to have a significant advantage.

I think that on some level syntax is important, but it's not important
enough to outweigh other benefits.  Compare the following hypothetical
statements in my language:

  foo pointer: bar, baz
  allocate bar
  allocate baz

to the C equivalent:

  foo *bar, *baz;
  bar = calloc(sizeof(foo));
  baz = calloc(sizeof(foo));

We can easily tell that they do the same thing, although one might be
a little shorter than the other.  Is it worth giving up a robust,
strenuously-tested compiler and debugger for the nicer-looking one?

I don't think that this alone (how it looks) is a compelling
advantage... but when you stop to consider that 'allocate' is an
operation that is really an operation which can be overloaded at
compile-time to dispatch to an appropriate function for the type 'foo
pointer', you get something quite like the object-oriented
"constructor" mechanism, but implemented in a more straightforward
manner.  (This can also be extended to give you more or fewer features
from that set.)  It's essential that things building on top of C add
significant value, or their advantages will be dismissed as "nice, but
not as important as X" which is some feature (symbolic debugger,
native interface) that merely not being C loses you.

-- 
Glyph Lefkowitz
Professional -- Software Engineer,  Origin Systems
Amateur      -- Computer Scientist, Twisted Matrix Enterprises
(My opinions are my own and do not reflect in any way on the policies
or practices of my employer, etcetera etcetera.)