andrew@frip.gwd.tek.com (Andrew Klossner) (04/28/88)
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"I believe that a fair language can be developed which is close
to universal, but it will have to be almost totally flexible
... We should now be striving for that flexibility. It will
help, but will not solve the problem. The language, shell,
window, editor, etc. developers should try to find out
everything that a programming genius would consider including
(and do not rely on what one genius wants; ask everybody) and
try to include it _all_."
The fallacy that a successful product can be "all things to all people"
has pretty much been demonstrated. In trying to do everything, you end
up not doing any one thing well.
In reviewing the history of this idea, a good place to start is with
the language PL/I, whose designers embraced this goal.
-=- Andrew Klossner (decvax!tektronix!tekecs!andrew) [UUCP]
(andrew%tekecs.tek.com@relay.cs.net) [ARPA]