Comment by gf000

2 days ago

Why do you think other people who have fallen in love with, say, Ruby, are less experienced in other languages? They just have less of a cult.

You sweet, summer child, just so you know, I have existed for nearly half a century in this world where the larger part of it I have spent dealing in computing. I have seen and dealt with more programming languages (including Ruby) than you can count with your fingers and toes and that number keeps growing still. I'm not advocating for any particular language, runtime, framework or paradigm - do use whatever your heart desires.

I'm simply pointing out that there is a meaningful difference in REPLs in homoiconic and non-homoiconic PLs. You don't have to listen to me, this is easily verifiable information. Google it, ask LLMs, try it yourself, or ignore the notion entirely - it's completely up to you. But let's not get too intimate and slide into insulting one another - you have no idea who I am and what cults I'm specifically fond of.

  • Apparently you're not experienced enough to have used a Lisp that doesn't have a REPL, nor a non-Lisp that does have a good one.

    You obviously haven't implemented a Lisp either, because then you'd understand what homoiconicity actually gives you. And also how a REPL is implemented (since you wouldn't just get one for free, it's a tool to implement).

    • You're wrong on every count about my experience. And once again, please: I'm just saying that stages in Read-Eval-Print-Loop does have differences in homoiconic and non-homoiconic languages. THAT'S ALL I SAID. There's zero controversial taste in that statement. None. I'm not bashing on Ruby, or Python, or any language you favor. I'm not telling you to use this or that. I'm just pointing out at specific differences that exist.

      3 replies →