Re: Re: Re: Lightweight syntax: a dissident view

[Mateusz Czaplinski <czapkofan@...>]

On Wed, Nov 24, 2010 at 5:18 PM, Roberto Ierusalimschy
<roberto@inf.puc-rio.br> wrote:
>> AFAICT, the only unambiguous syntax is the following:
>>
>>     `initial_token` [arglist] `separator` [chunk] `final_token´
>> or
>>     `initial_token` [arglist] `separator` [explist] `final_token´
>>
>> with `final_token` ~= `initial_token`, and various restrictions on the
>> individual tokens to avoid ambiguities.
>
> For instance:
>
> initial_token = '\'

Ouch; I have one major complaint against the '\' character
(unfortunately, applies to '|' as its shift-sibling as well): it seems
somehow that the keyboard manufacturers have a secret conspiracy, the
first commandment of which is to invent and introduce some random
locations for it on the keyboard as often as possible. At this very
moment I recall at least 3 different locations where I've seen it
placed. Not only that - to make it harder, it's usually in some
utterly uncomfortable position. I'm always cursing at it, and it's one
of major PITAs for me when I try to write something in LaTeX. Please,
please, don't spoil my beloved Lua with this abomination...

If you're lucky not to know what I'm talking about, please take a look
at these results of quick googling:
http://www.theblog.ca/bilingual-canadian-keyboard
http://www.richard-banks.org/2010/07/bad-keyboard-design.html
http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:m57YuiYaFNpw5M:http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h311/SnorpWhop/fodder.jpg
http://www.laptopmag.com/uploadedImages/review/laptops/2009/misc/archos10_1085g.jpg
http://www.kendeeter.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2006/10/backslash.JPG

thanks
Mateusz Czapliński