Re: Scripting business logic using kawa/scheme

[Bruce Lewis <brlewis at ALUM dot MIT dot EDU>]

"Bhinderwala, Shoeb" <SBhinderwala@wellington.com> writes:

> What would be the advantages of kawa/scheme over other scripting languages
> that also integrate with Java like JPython (based on Python) and Jacl (based
> on Tcl).

Advantages of Scheme:

1. You don't have to train your users in operator precedence.  Scheme
   expressions are unambiguous.
2. You have the DrScheme environment to bring novices up to speed on the
   language.
3. The language is extensible not only in terms of writing new
   functions, but also new syntax.  You can make it very user-friendly.

Advantages of Kawa:

1. Compiles fast, straight to bytecode with no intermediate Java code.
2. Your users will encounter fewer typos due to being able to use
   equity? instead of isEquity() and market-cap instead of marketCap.
3. A user community large enough that bugs get shaken out, but small
   enough that the maintainer is accessible.
4. Easier sell to management, since it's already in use at another
   Boston-based investment management company.


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