> On Aug 15, 2017, at 7:25 AM, Ben Coman <[email protected]> wrote: > > > >> On Tue, Aug 15, 2017 at 12:54 AM, Esteban A. Maringolo >> <[email protected]> wrote: >> You hit several birds with one single mail. >> >> 2017-08-14 13:34 GMT-03:00 Tim Mackinnon <[email protected]>: >> > Jimmie et al. nicely reasoned arguments - and Doru's point about >> > controlling >> > the syntax is an interesting one that I hadn’t thought about. >> > >> > Personally, I find having too many similar syntax’s confusing - >> > contributing >> > to things is hard enough - having to remember that its !! Instead of ## and >> > “” instead of ** is just frustrating for me. >> >> +1 >> >> Not only for docs, most platforms like Slack/Discord share the syntax, >> so now I'm getting "muscle memory" when typing literals using the >> backtick (`) character, quoting with > or pasting snippets using ``` > > +1. So I've posted this before... > > https://www.joelonsoftware.com/2000/06/03/strategy-letter-iii-let-me-go-back/ > describing that "The only strategy in getting people to switch to your > product is to eliminate barriers" > > But more... the best reason for Pillar to support a Markdown-ish syntax, is > that when we scratch-our-own-itch (nominally for Pillar) to build the best > damn markup-editor ever (because we can!) - if this happened to support > Markdown it can draw in Markdown-non-Pharo users (because its the best editor > ever!). Those users later want to make modifications, and now have a *reason* > to learn Pharo... ahHaA! now you see the cunning plan... > > So don't just promote to people "hey come and play with this cool toy of ours > (Pharo)." > Instead give them a toy they *already-want* (Markdown editor) and then when > they want to change the batteries, they *need* to use our special screwdriver > (Pharo).
+1! > > cheers -ben > >> >> > Sure, maybe we were first with Pillar, but for me, lots of programming is >> > in >> > other languages, and I use Smalltalk where I can, and a hybrid of multiple >> > languages and projects is often the reality - so a lowest common >> > denominator >> > of Markdown is just easier. The fact that we are quite close to what our >> > colleagues in other languages use (regardless of what Python has chosen), >> > is >> > quite interesting. >> >> This helps building "bridges" with other communities. >> > > > > >> >> The language as a means of exchange is always the lowest common denominator. >> As long as it's "efficient enough" then I vote to use what other >> communities use. >> >> > That said, if the community wants to stick to its gun’s thats fine - I will >> > probably still investigate how to use Commonmark for myself, and will still >> > contribute to Pillar docs where I can (and curse history) - but I think we >> > are long better off trying to join emerging standards where we can >> > particularly if they aren’t our core language thing. And it just makes it >> > less frictionless for ourselves and newcomers. >> >> The "Not Invented Here" syndrome is strong among Smalltalkers, it's >> important to be aware of this bias and think more than once whether >> eating our own dogfood adds value to the core of what Pharo brings. >> >> I think we missed some good years fighting with our own SCM and in the >> end git (or any other file based SCM) prevailed, even when it has >> limitations. >> >> Pareto (80-20) for everything non-core business should be a guide. >> >> > Of course, if we were to move, we would need to translate a lot of quality >> > docs to a new format - but I would be up for contributing to that if that >> > was a deciding factor. >> >> There are some Markdown exporters AFAIK, or it could be written. >> >> >> Esteban A. Maringolo >> >
