Not mad, bewildered and a tad frustrated

Tim points out that if you know your way around the Java libs you are in great shape to use a dynamic programming environment on the JVM.

Tim reckons some people will be mad at him for saying that. I'm not one of them. Bewilderment laced with a tincture of frustration would be my position.

IMO, Tim is absolutely right. As I said in a recent IT World article The Library IS The Programming Language.

Getting up to speed with a programming language syntax and semantics is a matter of days. Getting up to speed with the quintillion libraries that make you productive can take years.

If you know your way around the JDK, have a bunch of third party libs and a bunch of libs you developed yourself then do yourself a favor. Install Jython and watch your productivity jump.

If that does not tickle your fancy, try Ruby or Rhino or SISC or...there are lots to choose from!

BTW, calling all developers with deep knowledge of Java. The Jython world could use your help. Two years ago I would have said "to keep pace with CPython" but today it would be more appropriate to say "to keep pace with IronPython".

I fear, that the Java world is on the verge of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory on the dynamic language front.

I'd hate to see that happen.

The JSHARPS Web Stack

I need a word for a development stack. A word to describe Java - the platform - leveraged by dynamic languages such as Jython, PHP, JRuby, Rhino etc.

Sort of like LAMP but different, I don't want to capture specifics about OS or Web Server or Database... Just the programming language experiences.

Now Sun have a JSR for scripting on the JVM called JSR 223 which is a start in the right direction.

223 (decimal) is the unicode code point for SHARP S. Thus, JSHARPS.

Pleasing undertones of analogy with C-Sharp. The brave can write it as two characters : a J and the German Eszett.

Just a thought.

Why Python is amazing

why Python is amazing.

I particularly like the "Who Uses Python and What Do They Look Like?" section title.

Spot-the-Python-Geek is an interesting pattern matching problem to be sure.

Transputers remembered

"Of all the weird and wonderful machines that strutted and fretted their hour upon the stage in those heady days, my favorite was the transputer..."

Multi-core Processors: transputers reborn