Re: Problems to get larger user base ... (Re: [Caml-list] OCaml's variables)

[oliver <oliver@first.in-berlin.de>]

On Tue, May 28, 2013 at 07:39:56PM -0700, Jeff Meister wrote:
> I hesitate to recommend Part I of the OCaml Manual as an introduction for
> new users because it is so terse and dense. It describes the core language
> on a single HTML page. Powerful features of great consequence are covered
> rapidly. For example, variant types are relegated to a single section with
> only three example types.
[...]


Yes, I think this is a good description.
Today I see this intro and think: wow, nice.
When I started with OCaml, I needed other ressources too.
I also had some small meetings with scheme,
before I found the way to OCaml/Haskell.

There were no good books available on LISP at that time,
otherwise I might have explored that (eve though I hate these many
parantheses).


> 
> I do not mean to complain about the OCaml Manual; its succinctness is a
> virtue. It assumes I am competent and does not waste my time.

Yes, good point.
Also, when coming back to OCaml after a longer pause is made easier by this
intro. Or just to lookup some OOP stuff from OCaml, somethink like a "quickref"
or rather "quicktut".

I think one problem might be, that there are not many PRINTED books on
OCaml available.

For crucial knowledge I prefer real books printed on real paper
over the pdf- and ebook-stuff.

There are (many?) books on Haskell, but for OCaml it's like in a desert.
Maybe thats the reason, why the OCaml mascot is a camel. ;-)

Ciao,
   Oliver