D: A language without focus

[Lars Ivar Igesund]

gabe wrote:

> I've been reading these posts for a while now, and going over the
> documentation, and discovering some of the tools, and a few things have
> jumped out at me about the D language and the D community:

You absolutely has given this thought, but have you tried the language? If
you had participated at least some in the discussions around here, you
would have discovered that unlike Java, D isn't backed by a huge
corporation that wants to take over the world, more like the mad professor
(no insults intended Walter ;) who wants to take over the world.

> 
> Arrow One: The Message

You are right, D's message is somewhat unclear, and it has been discussed
whether D should get a strategy for market deployment. Possibly, but D is
still under development, and it turns out it has so much promise that we're
not really sure where it'll end.

Hmm, I guess you really talked about documentation, and it's true, it mostly
sucks. But then it is so much more fun coding D than writing docs for
it! :D

> 
> Arrow Two: Liscenses.

Not any issue IMHO, the liscenses are circumventable, most libraries
available open source, we have GDC which is a fully open source compiler,
and almost nothing is licensed in a way that would prevent it from being
used in a commercial projects (which already exists in several locations).

> 
> Arrow Third: Solidarity and conformance.

While I'd like coding standards and such, those following D are not
particularly homogenic in their thoughts on the matter. Just try to read a
couple of the project internal style discussions over at DScource. And many
ppl actually don't like such conventions, so restrict too much and you
might push away some of the small group already committed to D.

> 
> Exclamation Solutions:
> I would like to get involved in the D community in developing the tools
> that will make D a truly great language. To make that possible, however,
> we need to add a centralizing force and focus to the disparate goals of
> the project. First, we need to design some kind of mission statement --
> something that uniquely defines our goals as a community and as a group of
> programmers devoted to making D a better language for everyone to use.
> Second, we need to decide on some goals -- goals that will help us realize
> our mission by making it easer for people to come to D from other
> languages (or even there first language!). Third, we need to organize
> ourselves into groups that can work on aspects of the mission and can
> communicate easily to one another. This means that we need redundancy in
> projects (so that if someone leaves, someone else can take over),
> democratization across the group (so that API's and tools can have
> community input), and distributied responsibilites for all members (so
> that each person feels that they belong through to the group -- not merely
> because they say they do, but because they have earned the respect and the
> trust of their fellow members). In short, D should be a language where the
> community that bands around it is one of openness, respect, and excited
> collaboration.
> 
> I would like to post some more ideas about this, and I'd like to start
> organizing those people who are interested in joining together. I'd like
> to hear back from the community about this. I'd like to hear back from
> people excited about making D the best possible language it can be -- and
> making programming in D an absolute joy.
> 
> I look forward to hearing from you!
> _________________
> New to the land of D, but I like the look of the place.
> -Gabe

Similar suggestions has been made before, I think it's 2+ years now since I
made mine. Anyway, I also think it's needed at some point, but doubt it can
be pulled off already now. I wouldn't mind you trying though, but for me to
follow, you would have to show a genuine interest in the language
(preferably by helping out an existing project, and it would be wonderful
if this would actually be documentation.)

It is also fairly common to disclose your real name here, and preferably at
least type of occupation and previous experience. I'd like to know who
drives any car I'm a passenger in.

When that is said, feel free to post any preliminary documents on whatever
subject, I'd very much like to see them.

--
Lars Ivar Igesund
blog at http://larsivi.net
DSource & #D: larsivi