python

I've been trying python recently as a replacement for my perl scripts. Mostly because I don't like how perl looks, yes stupid reason I know.

To start some things annoy me. To convert a string into a number you have to do int('2'), but then they tell you everything is an object, so to append an item to a list you do aList.append(2). So why not '2'.int()?

Then I explore the wonderful library. It covers a lot, but immediately I run into problems: there is a library providing maildir support. But the only method it understands is next() and it only returns an email object. Nice if you want to look at your emails, but not if like me you want to write an archiving script(!). So in the end I return to iterating over the files.

All in all I get the feeling of "almost" and "nearly". The few Common Lisp libraries available are much better in quality, but most of the time lacking in documentation. Elegant, documented, broad: select 2 :-(.

For you reading pleasure (and amusement) here is the archive scripts:

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It moves all the files in my maildir tree (Except those in the main INBOX) into folder with .. appended. It works for me.

Common-Lisp-Controller needs to evolve

clc is having problems. The design is getting Byzantine and in general much to complex to solve even seemingly obvious problems. The current design with build-daemon, cronjobs, spool directory etc. has to die. But what should replace it?

Kevin Rosenberg has a interesting idea: do not build for all users of the system anymore, just has a per-user cache of compiled packages in ~/.clc//. When you upgrade an implementation or a library you just nuke the cache directory for all users. When a user requests a library the library gets recompiled on-the-fly and if there are problems the user is dropped into the debugger so there is some hope to get useful bugreports.

The major problems are that we would be deleting files in every user's homedirectory(!) and that we would not build all libraries on a routine basis, so bugs could go unnoticed for quite some time...

Squeak

After ignoring it for a few years I again had a look at Squeak, but not via the smalltalk route, but via the etoys of squeakland and I must say I am very impressed. Running in the browser I could actually create a car model yesterday without too many problems. I think to create an account for Matteo that goes directly to a squeak world filled with toys and stuff. He would like that and would be able to do already something with it.

My fears that there was nothing out there to give to our son that would be as much fun and as building as a C-64 or a TI-99/4A seem unfounded, he can go from drawing to creating etoys to hacking the smalltalk in one smooth climb it seems.

Joy!