On Thu, Apr 24, 2008 at 12:45 PM, Terry Brown <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> > On Thu, 24 Apr 2008 10:30:25 -0700 (PDT) > "Edward K. Ream" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > It seems to me that Leo fits this description perfectly, and possibly > even extends it. What do you think? > > I'm not sure - PyPy is a python interpreter which can create itself > from its own source code. So I guess they left gcc of the list... but > anyway, does Leo do that? Leo fits in the same way Emacs would fit, ... Perhaps you are right: they are just talking about bootstrapping compilers. If so, it's not a very interesting topic, imo. Here is how I think Leo fits the description. "computer systems and languages that are able to bootstrap, implement, modify, and maintain themselves." Leo is written using Leo. That's the least interesting part. "their implementation is based on small but powerful abstractions" For Leo, the abstraction is the outline. Specifically: 1. Leo's DOM (Document object model) allows scripts easy access to Leo code itself. Thus, Leo scripts can modify Leo. More important, Leo script can modify or create *structured* data, as discussed in 2. and 3. below. 2. [More important] Leo's headlines are natural metadata. Think @test, @url, @settings, @chapters, etc.(!) *Users* can extend Leo in ways I never dreamed of. No recompilation required. I don't have to "bless" such developments. 3. [Most important] Clones allow multiple views of an outline to be embedded in the outline itself. So Leo puts no constraints on views. Contrast with any kind of relational, hierarchical or object-oriented data base. Imo, this is most general possible way of understanding data. I challenge you to devise anything even approaching Leo's data model for generality. This model easily handles all the data of the human genome project. The proof is instant: if somebody wants another view of the "raw" data (whatever that is) they can simply create that view. Scripts could easily create any kind of desired subsidiary relations on the data. User's can use zodb as a representation for Leo outlines, so it is *already* feasible to module stupendous outlines in Leo. Not too many people understand this yet... Edward --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "leo-editor" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/leo-editor?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
