From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Return-Path: X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.1.3 (2006-06-01) on yquem.inria.fr X-Spam-Level: X-Spam-Status: No, score=0.2 required=5.0 tests=AWL,MAILTO_TO_SPAM_ADDR autolearn=disabled version=3.1.3 Received: from mail2-relais-roc.national.inria.fr (mail2-relais-roc.national.inria.fr [192.134.164.83]) by yquem.inria.fr (Postfix) with ESMTP id C6CE9BC6B for ; Fri, 9 Nov 2007 00:04:26 +0100 (CET) X-IronPort-Anti-Spam-Filtered: true X-IronPort-Anti-Spam-Result: AgAAAHIkM0fAbSoIh2dsb2JhbACPAQEBAQgKKQ X-IronPort-AV: E=Sophos;i="4.21,391,1188770400"; d="scan'208";a="4047410" Received: from einhorn.in-berlin.de ([192.109.42.8]) by mail2-smtp-roc.national.inria.fr with ESMTP; 09 Nov 2007 00:04:26 +0100 X-Envelope-From: oliver@first.in-berlin.de X-Envelope-To: Received: from einhorn.in-berlin.de (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by einhorn.in-berlin.de (8.13.6/8.13.6/Debian-1) with ESMTP id lA8N4PIH026506 (version=TLSv1/SSLv3 cipher=DHE-RSA-AES256-SHA bits=256 verify=NOT) for ; Fri, 9 Nov 2007 00:04:25 +0100 Received: (from www-data@localhost) by einhorn.in-berlin.de (8.13.6/8.13.6/Submit) id lA8N4PYI026504 for caml-list@yquem.inria.fr; Fri, 9 Nov 2007 00:04:25 +0100 X-Authentication-Warning: einhorn.in-berlin.de: www-data set sender to oliver@first.in-berlin.de using -f Received: from dslb-088-073-073-204.pools.arcor-ip.net (dslb-088-073-073-204.pools.arcor-ip.net [88.73.73.204]) by webmail.in-berlin.de (IMP) with HTTP for ; Fri, 9 Nov 2007 00:04:25 +0100 Message-ID: <1194563065.473395f97f852@webmail.in-berlin.de> Date: Fri, 9 Nov 2007 00:04:25 +0100 From: Oliver Bandel To: caml-list@yquem.inria.fr Subject: Re: [Caml-list] Smoke Vector Graphics: source code licenses for sale References: <200711041201.10255.jon@ffconsultancy.com> <200711081928.11501.alexandre.pilkiewicz@polytechnique.org> <20071108190903.GB19567@yquem.inria.fr> <200711082124.21175.alexandre.pilkiewicz@polytechnique.org> <47337745.3050203@gmail.com> In-Reply-To: <47337745.3050203@gmail.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit User-Agent: Internet Messaging Program (IMP) 3.2.6 X-Scanned-By: MIMEDefang_at_IN-Berlin_e.V. on 192.109.42.8 X-Spam: no; 0.00; bandel:01 in-berlin:01 ocaml:01 haskell:01 formalizing:01 ocaml:01 compiler:01 compiler:01 long-time:01 smoke:98 edgar:98 wrote:01 oliver:01 oliver:01 readable:01 Zitat von Edgar Friendly : > Alexandre Pilkiewicz wrote: > > Do you think it may be possible one day for OCaml to have a normalisation, > > like Haskell had in 1998, and if it's allready the case, where can I find > > it ? > > > I don't see the need for formalizing the OCaml language - If we tried to > characterize what the current compiler did, we'd fail in many many > details. And if we tried to write a spec independent of the compiler, > all of a sudden we'd just introduce hundreds of bugs into the compiler > because of its deviation from the spec. > > Formal specifications have use in strictly "research" languages, but I > see their ability to stifle growth and improvement as more negative than > their ability to help people understand the proper operation of OCaml. > [...] It seems there are so many wishes to OCaml, which are similar to wishes that long-time Word-users that tried LaTeX the first time had for LaTeX. Things like "how to change the layout freely, as I can do with Word?" and they are looking for so many things of freedom that result in ugly layouts, ugly typography, ... The don't know about microtypography, kerning, grey-value of the page, the number of characters per line that are easily readable, the peace for the eye (and mind), when there are not too many fonts and colors, and the many other typographic details, that are built-in in TeX/LaTeX. And: no, TeX/LaTeX is/are not perfect. But they are always a good choice. :) And the discussions on this list often remind me on those discussions about LaTeX ;-) I don't want to say, feature-wishes are nonsense... I only saw a similarity in the kind of feature-wishes. :) Ciao, Oliver P.S.: This mail is not intended to offend someone; only a note to - maybe - contemplate about, when you have some minutes of free time ;-) (and sorry, if I'm too much off-topic ;-))