Templates problem

data pulverizer via Digitalmars-d-learn digitalmars-d-learn at puremagic.com
Wed Sep 7 12:19:23 PDT 2016


On Wednesday, 7 September 2016 at 15:04:38 UTC, jmh530 wrote:
> On Wednesday, 7 September 2016 at 11:37:44 UTC, Russel Winder 
> wrote:
>>
>>> I really don't see what's not working in this.
>>
>> Trying to get new D users from Python users is the main 
>> problem.
>>
>
> I came to D from Python/R/Matlab. The biggest issue for me 
> wasn't error messages so much as the lack of good libraries for 
> a lot of things.
>
> Nevertheless, the longer I've been using D, the more I agree 
> that there could be some improvements in D's error messages. 
> Andre had posted about the Sparrow language a while back
> https://forum.dlang.org/thread/ne3265$uef$1@digitalmars.com?page=1
> He liked their use of concepts. I think at a minimum it would 
> enable better error messages.

I too come from the R world and I have been playing the game of 
flitting between R and C++; using C++ (through RCpp) to speed up 
slow things in R for some time and I have been looking for a 
better solution.

For some time I have been considering a problem to do with 
creating tables with unbounded types, one of the failed attempts 
is here: 
https://forum.dlang.org/thread/gdjaoxypicsxlfvzwbvt@forum.dlang.org?page=1
I then exchanged emails with Lucian, Sparrows creator and he very 
quickly and simply outlined the solution to the problem. 
Thereafter I read his PhD thesis - one of the most informative 
texts in computer science I have read and very well written.

At the moment, there are lots of languages attempting to solve 
the dynamic-static loop, being able to have features inherent in 
dynamic programming languages, while keeping the safety and 
performance that comes with a static compiled programming 
language, and then doing so in a language that doesn't cause your 
brain to bleed. The "One language to rule them all" motif of 
Julia has hit the rocks; one reason is because they now realize 
that their language is being held back because the compiler 
cannot infer certain types for example: 
http://www.johnmyleswhite.com/notebook/2015/11/28/why-julias-dataframes-are-still-slow/

A language that can create arbitrary complex programs is the kind 
of thing that changes the world. I don't think D should be left 
out and should take Sparrow very seriously indeed.



More information about the Digitalmars-d-learn mailing list