[clean-list] Wish list, part 3

Matt Lye mlye@idirect.ca
Mon, 8 Apr 2002 01:00:35 -0400


> - the IO libraries (and the runtime in general). Maintaining these
> for different platforms is a lot of work, and not research per se. I
> understand if the Clean research team does not put an equal amount of
> work in all versions. Delays in IO library development however,
> should not hold back new releases of the compiler, and I do think
> that they should at least put SOME effort in all variants (Linux
> too). It would be best if additional parties get involved.

My contributions should perhaps be more of a footnote than a note, since I
am still not completely fluent in Clean, and have little experience with
developing software or with studying computer science.  Nonetheless,
regarding IO library support:

    (a)    Is the development of the clean IO library still of sufficient
theoretical interest to anyone on the research team to merit
multiple-platform development?
    (b)    Are the apparent (to my untrained eye) similarities between
existential data types and 'objects' real and sufficient to allow seamless
communication between a back-end 'event/message stream interface' written in
Clean and a front end 'user interface' written in an object oriented
programming language?

 If the answers to these question are 'no' and 'yes', respectively, then I
think the Clean team should:
    (i)    Declare and finalize a basic GUI standard for multiple-platform
IO libraries that would
                - allow reasonable ease-of-use for experimental and
prototype programs
                - maintain the easy transfer of clean programs at the
prototype level between platforms
    (ii)    Concentrate on improving the C to Clean interface
    (iii)    Redeploy HILT resources to the support of IO libraries for
platforms that clients need help with. (More profit for HILT -> more
resources for Clean.)
    (iv)    Encourage 'open-source' type development of the GUI
specification and be willing to re-distribute specification consistent and
platform-transparent libraries(i.e., libraries for which Linux, Mac, and PC
versions have all been written) as part of an updated GUI
specification/library package.

I think that beyond the practical necessity and theoretical interest of
allowing Clean to interact robustly and provably with that crazy,
destructively updated external world out there, the development of a
'complete' language specific and multi-platform I/O library is a bit of a
red hampster.  What we have (or will have soon) is sufficient for
experimentaton and the development of prototype programs.  What we could
have with a maximum of effort will always lag behind OS-supported languages
and visually-oriented design tools for the development the user/system
interface of 'final' programs.