Newbie Q's
Aaron Gray
aaronngray.lists at googlemail.com
Mon Dec 1 09:48:19 PST 2008
> Aaron Gray wrote:
>> Hi,
>> I have been beginning to read the ML reference implementation and have a
>> few basic questions.
>> What is REPL and what does it stand for ?
>> What is a RIB and does it stand for anything ?
>> What are FIXTURES ?
>
> REPL stands for "read, eval, print loop". It's lisp slang for "interactive
> programming-language prompt".
Yes I found that one, cheers :)
> A "fixture" (in ES4-ese) is a fixed property -- either of a scope, an
> object type, or a class -- known at definition-time. A "rib" (in ES4-ese)
> is a static map from names to fixtures. It's not an acronym.
Okay, I get that now. Strange terms.
> This is all written up in the last draft of the ES4 proto-speclets. But at
> this point it doesn't matter.
>
> Considering how much of the ES4 design is now either permanently off the
> table or in "indefinitely deferred" status awaiting re-appraisal in the
> future ES-harmony effort, I'd recommend *against* reading the existing ES4
> RI. It's more likely to confuse than to illuminate. Probably we should
> take the links to it down, at least for the time being.
>
> Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.
No I should have joined the mailing list sooner than I did !
Its a great shame I was very looking forward to the pre harmony ES4.
I have been reading Tamarin source on and off for a couple of months or so,
and had just started with the RI.
Luckily for me I am only really interested on an academic level and seeing
how far static/dynamic language divide can be pushed.
Looks like order and attribution problems of text based scripting languages
in general. Had ECMAScript progressed onto a binary bytecoded distribution
format like ActionScript then maybe these problems could have been solved,
but then I am forgetting ES3.1.
Order dependance is a difficult one.
Many thanks for the reply,
Aaron
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