ONJava.com: Lisp and Java

Since dynamic languages are getting a lot of play, it is nice to see the granddaddy getting its due. I've never done Lisp for money, but some of my favorite language features (in Ruby, Smalltalk, Groovy, etc.) trace their origins to Lisp.

The article, "Lisp and Java" on ONJava.com shows how to use anonymous inner classes in Java to get one of the best features of Lisp, the ability to treat functions as first class objects.

While the syntax is a little bloated when compared to the so-called Agile languages, it is nice to see how a lambda function or closure maps to traditional Java syntax.

Groovy is now a JSR

http://www.jcp.org/en/jsr/detail?id=241

Currently the Java community does not have a standard JCP-sanctioned agile programming language for writing scripts and applications that interoperate with the entire J2SE platform.

Groovy makes writing scripts and applications for the Java Virtual Machine fast and easy. Groovy includes language features found in Python, Ruby, and Smalltalk, but uses syntax natural to developers that use the Java programming language. Because Groovy is based on J2SE, applications written in Groovy can use the full complement of J2SE APIs, and work seamlessly with other packages and applications written in the Java programming language.

I believe Shashank Date is scheduled to give a presentation on Groovy at the August 2004 meeting.

Itching for a fight

The talk on Java generics and some other blogs on dynamic v. static typing has gotten my dander up. So I've been running on about Smalltalk here and here. Where do you see programming languages headed? Dynamic typing or static? Aspects? Harrumph harrumph harrumph.

Bruce Eckel on Java Generics

Bruce Eckel, author of Thinking in Java, has posted to his blog on what's wrong with Java Generics (introduced in JDK 1.5).

Posting from the Linux Presentation

We got to talking about the blog and the Wiki during Jason's presentation, and I realized I can make updates to both of them during the presentation.

It occurs to me that I don't have much to add. I just wanted to say that I could do it. :-)

Linux at the Wednesday Meeting

Around this time of month, I always catch a few e-mails from other Sprint folk who wonder if the KCJPA is dead.

Nope. Not dead yet! We've just been running that Apache Debian GNU Linux homepage as a clever four month promotion for this month's meeting topic on Linux. ;-)

The real action, as usual is on the dynamic sites that anyone can edit. The most easily edited is the mailing list, where we've enjoyed a leisurely discussion about alternatives to the Windows desktop. Since we haven't had much Linux traffic here, I thought I would throw down some topical links:

Here is one for the philosophers and one for the pragmatists. Enjoy! I hope to see you Wednesday night!

Java-based programming languages

I knew there were a few programming languages that execute in the Java virtual machine, but I never realized how many there actually are.

Putting up, not shutting up.

As promised on the mailing list, I've started editing the Wiki to transform it into the home for less-transient KCJPA-related content. First and foremost, I've changed the "monthly meeting" link here to point to the Wiki.

A Groovy article

Object Computing has posted an article on Groovy, a new scripting language that is essentially Java (it can be compiled to Java byte codes) with syntactic elements from Perl, Ruby, and Smalltalk thrown in. (I was hoping to use Groovy in last week's presentation on the Bean Scripting Framework, but it requires Java 1.4 and my laptop only does Java 1.3.)