Why all the fuss with DSLs? Isn't it just "metalinguistic abstraction" as described in the SICP?

Posted by michaelneale on Sunday September 30, 2007 @07:52AM
from the self-post dept.

http://mitpress.mit.edu/sicp/full-text/book/book-Z-H-25.html#%_chap_4

The current "fashions" around DSLs I find a little annoying, it seems like the idea has been around and in use for some time, as this shows. Is there something new and profound? It seems that DSLs taken out of the context of lisp are much much less powerful.

Its a good technique, "language oriented programming" it may be marketed as in a parallel universe.

( 6 comments | 4 points | on HN )

Re:Why all the fuss with DSLs? Isn't it just "metalinguistic... by mechanical_fish on Sunday September 30, 2007 @01:02PM (#61312)

"Classic: a book which people praise and don't read."

http://www.twainquotes.com/Classic.html

In other words: Yes, in a world where every coder had an MIT degree, nobody would be especially impressed by DSLs.

Or maybe that wouldn't be enough. I've met several people who had SICP for their first-year programming class and did not like it at all.

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Re:Why all the fuss with DSLs? Isn't it just "metalinguistic... by eru on Sunday September 30, 2007 @05:32PM (#61391)

Real man don't eat quiche.

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Re:Why all the fuss with DSLs? Isn't it just "metalinguistic... by lisporama on Sunday September 30, 2007 @02:36PM (#61337)

Aren't embedded languages (languages built "on lisp") superior to DSL's? Embedded languages can integrate with each other seamlessly if need be... and they can be manipulated in terms of the parent language.

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Re:Why all the fuss with DSLs? Isn't it just "metalinguistic... by AllMighty on Monday October 01, 2007 @12:49AM (#61489)

Having access to the full power of the parent language can be a problem. This point is well articulated here: http://www.w3.org/2001/tag/doc/leastPower.html

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Re:Why all the fuss with DSLs? Isn't it just "metalinguistic... by eru on Sunday September 30, 2007 @05:31PM (#61390)

I agree. It should be much easier to build a decent embedded lingo.

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Re:Why all the fuss with DSLs? Isn't it just "metalinguistic... by richcollins on Sunday September 30, 2007 @02:54PM (#61341)

Why does the fact it appears in SICP make it any less interesting? Also, how often do LISPers use Macros for actual metalinguistic abstraction, rather than as a tool for code generation?

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