A side effect of the make files is its platform dependence. And there had been other problems I read, like a space character causing a bug and you needed lot of time to find these bugs. Concerning bugs I can tell my own story with the way Ant files are written. If a variable is not set, a compiler of a scripting language would complain at compile time, wheareas with Ant's XML files these bugs only show up at runtime. Just one example. I surely have hundreds of reasons inventing a alternative to Ant like the inventor of Ant started developing it after so many bugs because of a missing space or something like this.
"Scot P. Floess" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: Peter: That's a good point regarding Makefiles (I was simply thinking of scripting)... There was a time "loved" writing Makefiles...uhm...not anymore ;) Regardless...I still think XML as a markup is more than tolerable...I don't see the issues with it at all. I mean, I like Java but I don't think I'd want to write scripts using it... Just my personal preference...but still... I suppose one could have made the same argument against Makefiles and SH (or BASH)... Scot -----Original Message----- >From: Peter Reilly >Sent: Feb 8, 2007 1:47 PM >To: Ant Users List >Subject: Re: Python implementation for Ant > >On 2/8/07, Matt Benson wrote: >> Here's a link to Terence Parr's "Humans should not >> have to grok XML" article: >> >> http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/xml/library/x-sbxml.html >> >> In it he explains the distinction between XML as a >> data representation format, the use for which it was >> AFAIK intended, >This is one viewpoint. >HTML is from the same source and it is for >human consumption. >XML is actually easier that HTML as it is less forgiving >with regard to mistakes. >> vs. as an explicit interface for human >> consumption. Regardless of your own position, I found >> it an interesting read. Terence is an example of a >> noted personality in the OSS community who develops in >> Java but has never touched Ant precisely _because_ of >> its XML interface. >Mmm, >I spend ~15 years fighting cryptic make files - sometimes >I wrote perl scripts to help - it was not a pleasant experience. >I never really understood the M4 / configure / autoconf stuff. > >I found ant build files to be simple to understand and to >use for java projects (once one realized that the commands/tasks >are directory based). > >Peter > > >> So such developers definitely >> exist, thought it's quite possible he is the only one >> whose aversion to human-targeted XML is a strong >> enough deterrent in and of itself. ;) >> >> -Matt >> >> --- "Scot P. Floess" wrote: >> >> > I'd have to agree with Rob... Have you ever looked >> > at Voice XML? It took is scripting but using XML as >> > the "markup" language.... >> > >> > What is your aversion to XML with regards to it as a >> > scripting language? I personally like it... >> > >> > -----Original Message----- >> > >From: "Anderson, Rob (Global Trade)" >> > >> > >Sent: Feb 8, 2007 12:58 PM >> > >To: Ant Users List >> > >Subject: RE: Python implementation for Ant >> > > >> > >> -----Original Message----- >> > >> From: Hans Schwaebli >> > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] >> > >> Sent: Wednesday, February 07, 2007 3:01 AM >> > >> To: Ant Users List >> > >> Subject: Python implementation for Ant >> > >> >> > >> What do you think about the XML format used for >> > writing Ant >> > >> scripts? I don't like it. >> > >> >> > >> What about writing Ant scripts in a script >> > language like >> > >> Python or Jython instead of writing them in XML? >> > I think it >> > >> would be much more productive. >> > >> >> > >> There seems to be a private project for this, >> > but it is not >> > >> official, not from Apache. >> > > >> > >I have no issues with XML. It seems to work well >> > for me. It is easy to >> > >read, understand, and maintain build files in XML >> > format. I have no >> > >desire to change the way I am currently writing >> > build files. >> > > >> > >-Rob Anderson >> > > >> > > >> > >> >--------------------------------------------------------------------- >> > >To unsubscribe, e-mail: >> > [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> > >For additional commands, e-mail: >> > [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> > > >> > >> > >> > Scot P. Floess >> > 27 Lake Royale >> > Louisburg, NC 27549 >> > >> > (252) 478-8087 (Home) >> > (919) 754-4592 (Work) >> > >> > Chief Architect JPlate >> > http://sourceforge.net/projects/jplate >> > Chief Architect JavaPIM >> > http://sourceforge.net/projects/javapim >> > >> > >> --------------------------------------------------------------------- >> > To unsubscribe, e-mail: >> > [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> > For additional commands, e-mail: >> > [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> > >> > >> >> >> >> >> ____________________________________________________________________________________ >> It's here! Your new message! >> Get new email alerts with the free Yahoo! Toolbar. >> http://tools.search.yahoo.com/toolbar/features/mail/ >> >> --------------------------------------------------------------------- >> To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> >> > >--------------------------------------------------------------------- >To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Scot P. Floess 27 Lake Royale Louisburg, NC 27549 (252) 478-8087 (Home) (919) 754-4592 (Work) Chief Architect JPlate http://sourceforge.net/projects/jplate Chief Architect JavaPIM http://sourceforge.net/projects/javapim --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] --------------------------------- Don't be flakey. Get Yahoo! Mail for Mobile and always stay connected to friends.
