> Mailing-List: contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]; run by ezmlm > Date: Sat, 09 Nov 2002 19:20:58 -0500 > From: "Joseph F. Ryan" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > X-Accept-Language: en-us, en > Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > X-SMTPD: qpsmtpd/0.12, http://develooper.com/code/qpsmtpd/ > > Michael Lazzaro wrote: > > >"Joseph F. Ryan" wrote: > > > > > >>Angel Faus wrote: > >> > >> > >>>I think that the best way would be to create an schema of a language manual, > >>>and fill the documents as we proceed reviewing the Apocalypses. > >>> > >>> > > > > > >Agreed -- we should certainly figure out the overall structure first, > >before doing much else. I think that's a pretty good start for an > >outline, too. > > > >Now given our intended goal of it being detailed enough for internals, > >but written even for beginners, how do we "package" the materials? > >(Should it be a concise language reference, a series of tutorials, a > >formal or informal booklike document that explains everything in detail? > > I know, I know, everyone's going to say "yes, all of them, and it > >should dispense softdrinks from your CD-ROM drive upon request...") > > > > I think the biggest concern should be converts from perl 5. Most people > will > have an attitude similar to: "I know how to do X in perl5, now how do I do > that in perl6?" I think that a set of tutorials (that refer to the main docs > many, many times) that show how to translate common idioms, structures, and > techniques from perl 5 to perl 6, such that if a person reads through them, > they'll at least have enough knowledge on perl6 to begin to write in it, and > know where to turn to when they have problems.
I disagree. Perl 6 is so different from Perl 5 in its core that I think people will benefit just as much from learning from the top as they will from learning in terms of Perl 5. The specific docs on C<for>, etc. will be enough to answer the aforementioned question; i.e. the example code will be sufficient. To clarify, Perl 6 isn't that different in its syntax, but it's very different in its ideas. For the "quick fix" type (how do I do a C-style for loop?), they don't need to know the new concepts of "blocks are just functions with closures as arguments." But if they want to, it will probably be easier not to explain in terms of Perl 5. Luke
