\1<\/code>/g]]
The case for syntaxless languages
$Id: synt.wml,v 1.1 2000/09/17 23:50:51 tjl Exp $
A manuscript-in-progress about syntaxless languages such as Clang.
Intended for eventual publication in an academic journal.
Introduction
Computational structures
The most pervasive computing paradigm of today is that of
directories and files, and of programs written as text.
All the dominant platforms, Linux/Unix, Mac and Windows are based
on the same fundamental structure.
Indeed, the structure is so pervasive that it is difficult
for many people to even imagine a different world.
However, a different world is actually not even difficult to
define and implement: choosing a different data model for implementing
an operating system, for example, is completely feasible,
as shown e.g. by XXX.
In our work, we focus on the ZigZag structure, which is one alternative
to the directories-files-text model.
In ZigZag, data is contained in cells which are bidirectionally
interconnected in a flexible, multidimensional structure.
Parsing, symbol tables and integrated development environments
We will probably need to use that term in every
paper we write ;) ;)
Today's computer languages are, with few exceptions, expressed as text.
Even the use of the word computer language itself conveys
the expectation that computer languages, like human languages,
is expressible in a linear form.
In this context, a parser and symbol tables are
an essential ingredient of a compiler; and that a language
definition requires defining a Backus-Naur form syntax and
namespaces for various identifiers.
Likewise, it is often found that using an editor which understands
the language syntax and is able to suggest completions to e.g. method
names is almost irreplaceable. Especially important is the ability
to jump from a use of a symbol to the point in the code where
the symbol was defined.
However, human language is expressible as one-dimensional
because of a simple constraint in speech: time. When a language
is spoken, a sequential form is a requirement.
Computer languages try to mimic human languages in several ways.
Syntaxless languages
A syntaxless language is based on there being a richer underlying
structure than a simple text stream.
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