Older blog entries for jao (starting at number 2)

Tracing of instructions is already working on MDK and timing statistics are on the works. After that, and some documentation, I'll release the new version.

The recent Davis vs. Stanco war in FreeDevelopers has pushed my patience to a limit, and I feel very pessimistic about the future of the organisation. I simply cannot imagine how in earth they will manage to put thousand of developers to work under a democratic regime, when, being now just a handful of people, they are not able to put their egos away for the benefit of the community. Free software gets done by programming (like RMS did), not by spamming or, what is worse, telling blatant lies! What a pity.

Functional programming. I think i will stick to Scheme: it's used by GNU and is the language of choice of SICP, my next planned cover-to-cover reading. A couple of people have recommended Dylan to me, but I find its syntax so ugly that i don't feel like giving it a try (I know that's not sound reasoning, but...).

I've been working again in the next MDK version. W-expression evaluation works ok, and tracing of executing instructions will soon be ready... Still waiting for the FSF evaluation of the new documentation (and getting a little bit anxious :-)

Pondering functional programming again (i've been since now an imperative programmer: C, C++, Perl, Java...). Not sure about which language to pick: probably Scheme, but Lisp, elisp or more exotic ones like Haskell could also be interesting. Once i'm able to submit articles, i'd like to ask Advogato people about functional programming and free software...

After reading the Advogato's articles for a couple of weeks, I've decided to create an account and start writing this diary. Why? Well, one of the main reasons is, i must admit, drawing attention to MDK, my first fs project. I'm really happy with the interest it has already raised, and the feedback of other users. OK, maybe it is just a toy, but a toy that can prove useful for readers and students of "The Art of Computer Programming", which is, imho, the best book on computer science ever written. But MDK is not the only reason for joining Advogato. I want to keep in touch with fellow free software programmers, and to take part in the amusing discussions on the articles, which happen to be of an excellent quality (unlike those found in other well-known internet forums like /.).