From: [Invalid-From-Line]
Subject: Re: Java vs lisp (was: Re: Prolog vs. Lisp)
Date:
Message-ID: <5i3q7m$m3b$1@news.mhv.net>
i've programmed in lisp, i've programmed in java. java is a sweet
language. clean, simple, quick to code, quick to debug, sort of
the pascal of the object world. it's my second favorite language
(out of 60+ that i've written programs in).
the fundamental reason i like lisp over ALL of the others has
NOTHING to do with features. discussing features misses the point.
writing lisp code is like breathing. you just do it. there is almost
NO "friction" between the thought and the implementation. i can mix
nearly machine level primitives (CAR => *ptr+0 and research level
concepts (GeneticallyCombine ...) in the same expression. plus the
program is syntactically (and sometimes semantically) the same as
the data. these two properties of lisp make it a "language" you
use to express ideas rather than a "coding vehicle" which everything
else amounts to. there is no distinction between the thought
and the writing of the thought in lisp. (too ZEN-like a notion, i guess)
but that's just my considered opinion.
now if only i could get paid to write lisp again :-)
t