Re: [Gnu-arch-users] Re: Tla spork

[Zenaan Harkness]

On Thu, 2004-08-26 at 18:42, address@hidden wrote:
> On Wed, Aug 25, 2004 at 10:26:22AM -0400, James Blackwell wrote:
> 
> [...]
> > On an unrelated note, here's a troll: s-exps are ugly, Ugly, UGLY.
> > They're wrong, man! 
> 
> OK, I'll bite: do you prefer XML, man?
> 
> (but... don't take me too serioulsy ;-)

:)

There are obviously two purposes of this "language":
data declaration (config files) and programming logic (scripts).

I'm gathering that s-exps are those lispy (a (b (f 1) (c d))) type
expressions (bit ignorant sorry).

There is a certain functional minimalism to list like expressions
that is very appealing, since they readily encompass both purposes,
data declaration and programs.

Unfortunately for me I believe, that appeal never rubbed off on me;
it's the one thing I wish I'd really had more experience with,
because I _believe_ that there is something worthwhile to get/ grasp,
which I haven't yet.

For example, when I (post-Uni) first looked at modifying Emacs
configs, I just couldn't get my head around it - I probably should
have gone hunting for a good tutorial and spent a day reading it,
but for the small enhancements I wanted, I just never was quite
motivated enough to do so.

Then, on two and a half occasions, over the following few years,
I actually went through the first hour of the guile tutorial,
perhaps a year or more apart between each attempt.

It still didn't sink in. My brain hasn't 'clicked' or whatever it
is.

This continues to haunt and occasionally annoy me.

I imagine the only way for me to grok it, is to put aside a week
or three and write a non-trivial gui utility or something.

Until then, I've kind of given up, assuming the learning curve
is just too great for my procedural-engrained mental paths.

I'm convinced there will be handsome dividends when I do
eventually spend that time though...

my 2c
zen