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Date:	Mon, 23 Oct 2006 00:09:03 -0700
From:	"Lynn H. Maxson" <lmaxson@pacbell.net >
Reply-To:	scoug-programming@scoug.com
To:	< "scoug-programming@scoug.com" > scoug-programming@scoug.com >
Subject:	SCOUG-Programming: The language end goal

Content Type: text/plain

Greg,

"In other words, I get to sit things out until the Developers'
Assistant has a binary that will self compile from the source.
( And that applies to lots of other potential programmers that
do not have a PL/I compiler.)"

Consider this a journey, a learning experience, in which in the
pursuit of a goal we acquire the skills to independently pursue
goals of our own. Regardless of anything else our pursuit will
bring us one-on-one with the issues that bedevil software
development today. With one difference. While others accept
the impediments to productivity as the "cost of doing
business", we will seek to significantly reduce or eliminate
them. Thus bring that cost and what we want to achieve in
software to a more affordable level.

So we begin with the user interface, the GUI, for which we
need to learn an initial level of PM programming. Then we
need an editor, the programming of which will further our
skills. Then we need to develop a syntax analyzer, in the
process of which we will further enhance our developer skills.
Then we need to develop a semantic analyser, the process of
which will further enhance our developer skills. Then we
need to develop a two-stage, proof engine (a completeness
proof and an exhaustive true/false proof). That in turn will
further enhance our developer skills. As part of the
completeness proof the output of which is an optimized
organization of the source, we will need to develop code
generation for an interpreter and a compiler. No doubt that
will further enhance our developer skills.

At this point you should understand that what we learn and
take away from this process has more meaning to us
individually than what we will produce. It means that we will
have the means to produce the tools which respond to our
needs rather than accepting what others hand out. Ostensibly
the "Developer's Assistant" will result. In truth you will have
the ability to produce "Your Assistant", something more akin
to your view on doing things.

Let's understand this promise as well as purpose of open
source: the ability to do it your way. Our particular journey
which focuses on tools to increase such ability supports both
the promise and the purpose, making both in terms of the
increased scope which you as an individual undertake a
reality.

We then will engage in a learning process whose end result
lies in our achieving tool maker status, in fact expert status,
tool masters. If you don't like SL/I, then design an equivalent
more to your liking. If you don't like the "Developer's
Assistant", then design an equivalent more to your liking.
Again that's the promise of open source and our effort to
make it a reality.

"Right now, I see lots of discussions off on tangents that have
noting to do with the editor at this stage of the project."

Stick around.

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