The "I did": It seems very sensible to use s-expressions for everything. That lispy syntax meant that I started seeing ways to encode almost everything as lisp. I even started keeping a todo list in s-expressions;
(do
(buy bread)
(tidy (kitchen living-room bathroom))
(get life))
The classic XKCD cartoon had it perfectly: "I felt a great enlightment. I saw the naked structure of Lisp code unfold before me. The patterns and metapatterns danced. Syntax faded"
I didn't: when it came to actual common lisp, cracks started to appear. The crazy mini-language for looping. The arbitrary-sounding names. The feeling that, if I ever wanted to do anything remotely windows-specific I would face years of horror.
I read your post. So, you appreciated the core beauty of the thing but the details got you down. What a shame.
I think what happens to most of us who love Lisp is that, at a certain point, the initial frustrations are eclipsed by how much more productive we are (and liberated, if I may put it that way). That point comes sooner for some than others. In your case, not soon enough. But Lisp will no doubt still be around if you ever do decide to get back to it.
i never really touched lisp until Arc. i knew lisp was the language i wanted to be programming in, but common lisp feels mainframey and scheme has an ivory-tower anal aura about it
once Arc gets its own independent implementation i will probably start using it more heavily and seriously
The "I did": It seems very sensible to use s-expressions for everything. That lispy syntax meant that I started seeing ways to encode almost everything as lisp. I even started keeping a todo list in s-expressions;
(do (buy bread) (tidy (kitchen living-room bathroom)) (get life))
The classic XKCD cartoon had it perfectly: "I felt a great enlightment. I saw the naked structure of Lisp code unfold before me. The patterns and metapatterns danced. Syntax faded"
I didn't: when it came to actual common lisp, cracks started to appear. The crazy mini-language for looping. The arbitrary-sounding names. The feeling that, if I ever wanted to do anything remotely windows-specific I would face years of horror.
I've blooged about it more at http://www.stevecooper.org/2008/02/13/impractical-uncommon-l..., if you've got too much free time. ;)