Stuart Dabbs Halloway, after reviewing Clojure’s syntax comparing it with Java, explains how Clojure-Java interoperability works. He then talks about the need for simplicity in languages, attempting to prove that Clojure is a simpler language, and consequently better, than Java.
Since the initial Lambda proposal was released (and the in-depth InfoQ analysis), there has been a subsequent state of the lambda which has significantly moved the goalposts of the lambda project in JDK 7. Read on to find out what's new.
LESS and Sass are Ruby tools that allow to reduce redundancy in CSS files by introducing variables, mixins, and other time proven language features into CSS. We take a look at how the two tools work and what they offer.
Ola Bini, a core JRuby developer and author of the book Practical JRuby on Rails Projects, has been developing a new language for the JVM called Ioke. This strongly typed, extremely dynamic, prototype based object oriented language aims to give developers the same kind of power they get with Lisp and Ruby, combined with a nice, small, regular syntax.
A look at what to watch out for in metaprogramming when it comes to speed, and: how ParseTree can be used to implement LISP/Scheme-style Macros in Ruby and avoid some of the issues of Open Classes.
Style enforcement has long been a hotly debated topic. Not only are their arguments over what style a team should standardize on, but also on whether or not there should be a standard style at all. In a move that is sure to add fuel to the flames, Microsoft has released StyleCop, the style enforcement tool they use internally.
Smalltalk, a language that has had a big influence on Ruby, is making a comeback. We take a look at the current situation and talk to Randal L. Schwartz about Smalltalk.
Venkat Subramaniam explains some of the Groovy syntax elements and its idioms by taking Java code examples and transforming them step by step into their more concise Groovy counterparts.
Sadek Drobi talks about abstracting the control syntax (glue), giving examples from mainstream and FP languages: Null, propagating errors, events, asynchronous programming, lists, streams, channels, functors, monads, and custom abstractions.
Mariano Guerra talks about Efene, a new language that targets the Erlang VM, which attempts to provide nicer syntax than Erlang.
Dan Ingalls explains the ideas that went into Smalltalk, how it was developed at Xerox PARC, the ideas that went into Squeak, and his latest project the browser-based Lively Kernel.
