Erlang virtual machine – BEAM – hosts an increasing number of languages. Reia, a Python/Ruby like scripting language and Lisp Flavoured Erlang have recently been released. Debasish Ghosh reflects on this trend while other authors try to outline other possible language variants inspired by Ruby or Haskell.
October 11, 2008
October 5, 2008
Opinions: Measuring Programmers’ Productivity
In the field of software development, managers need measurable metrics to appreciate the performance of their programmers. Shahar Yair and Steve McConnell discuss common techniques focusing on source lines of code and function points. They highlight the limitations of these approaches and seek to define some principles that could guide the analysis of programmers’ performance.
September 25, 2008
Paradigm based Polyglot Programming
How many languages are you using on the same project? If you go counting you will see that they are many. I mean XML, Java, XSLT, HTML, CSS… etc. But the reason why you are using almost all of them is that they happen to be mainstream and, oftentimes, they are the only language choice for a needed framework. You are actually almost obliged to use them. The choice is done for you. Style? CSS. Configuration? Often XML. Web interface description? Html. However, if you want to adopt true polyglot programming, you will have to face inevitable decision of language choice.
September 22, 2008
EnterpriseWeb conference
The web is becoming an integration platform, providing open APIs for client side mashups and also a proven model for solving complex integration problems facing enterprise SOA initiatives. This one day conference is about the Web as a ubiquitous middleware and programming platform – a programmable web; attendees will how to embrace web as a platform, open APIs, mashups, and REST for complex enterprise development and integration challenges.
September 19, 2008
Simon Peyton Jones on Programming Languages and Research Work
In QCon London 2008, I had the opportunity to have an interview with one of my heros: Simon Peyton Jones. Simon has an enormous capacity of making the answer to almost any question precise and clear no matter how abstract the subject is. I Strongly recommend that you have a look at this interview if you are interested in programming languages in general. Following Simon’s talks and interviews requires almost no prior knowledge about functional programming or Haskell.
In this interview, computer scientist and researcher Simon Peyton Jones discusses properties of functional programming languages, and particularly Haskell, that have inspired some features in mainstream languages. He gives his opinion on the issues of syntax and language complexity and talks about some research work on subjects such as Data parallelism and transactional memory.
Bio
Honorary Professor of Computer Science at the University of Glasgow, Simon Peyton Jones currently works at Microsoft Research in Cambridge. He has led several research projects focused on the implementation and applications of functional programming languages. He has greatly contributed to the design of the Haskell language, and is the lead designer of the Glasgow Haskell Compiler.
Access this exclusive interview published at InfoQ.com
Mots clés Technorati : simon peyton johnes,haskell,functional-programming,C#,F#,immutability,transactional memory,data parallelism,monads,fp,scala,LinQ
September 12, 2008
Architecture Life Span:Implications on your Business and how to build more Long-lasting Architecture
Introducing the concept of architectural shelf life, Dan Pritchett defines the average duration of an architectural life span. Stressing that failing to evolve the architecture at the end of its life span may have important business implications, he provides some advices that aim at facilitating architecture update with new technologies and patterns, thus making architectures last longer.
July 11, 2008
Is Stream-oriented a better UI paradigm than Document-oriented for today’s knowledge workers?
In Bryce Harrington’s opinion, document-oriented paradigm of user interface is not any longer optimal. Most often people deal with streams of information rather than static documents. Harrington advocates for a shift towards a new UI paradigm that would make stream management easier. Many tools and technologies are already based on stream-oriented approach; others are instrumental for adopting it.
June 21, 2008
Storing Code in Queryable Data Structures?
Is today’s mainstream use of flat files the optimal way to represent code? Several discussions occurred in the blogspace in reaction to Rick Minerich’s post advocating for moving away from this paradigm towards keeping code in queryable data structures. What are the advantages of this approach and what are the trade-offs to take into consideration?
June 7, 2008
Designing for Spam: A Challenge for the web?
The increasing activity and hostility of spammers and the sophistication of their spamming tools are a constantly growing concern for the web. The recent spam attack on Craigslist triggered many reactions in the blogosphere seeking to analyze spammers’ techniques and possible remedies and to consider the implications that the spam’s spread may have on architecture.
