 Mobile Applications Need Scripting Too!
started 9/1/2003; 12:09:32 PM - last post 9/2/2003; 8:21:08 AM
|
|
Patrick Logan - Mobile Applications Need Scripting Too! 
9/1/2003; 12:09:32 PM (reads: 12253, responses: 6)
|
|
| Mobile Applications Need Scripting Too! |
For creating mobile applications, scripting represents Park's secret weapon. "It sounds like an odd thing to do on small wireless devices, but I actually use a simple scripting engine," he says. "An app-specific domain language enables quick iterations on design and eases porting across devices. I worked on the scripted AI (artificial intelligence) engine on the Sims franchise at Electronic Arts, and saw how this technology enabled a profitable business model. There's no way that EA could have cranked out so many expansion packs so quickly and cheaply if it weren't for the scripting tools.
Posted to general by Patrick Logan on 9/1/03; 12:39:29 PM
|
|
|
|
Chris - Re: Mobile Applications Need Scripting Too!
9/1/2003; 3:25:36 PM (reads: 706, responses: 0)
|
|
|
This article was very promising. I wish they gave examples of his mobile game DSL, instead of the yawn-worthy Java random number generator.
Parks also mentions using different dev environments and platforms. Has he ported his DSL engine to MSVC and J2ME? What were the portability benefits and concerns addressed by his DSLs?
|
|
Ehud Lamm - Re: Mobile Applications Need Scripting Too!
9/2/2003; 5:09:40 AM (reads: 620, responses: 0)
|
|
|
I was looking for the DSL too. Tough luck.
From the article: "If I don't make a title scriptable, then at least I make it extensively data-driven. Once you get used to writing code that way, you can be proficient at that level of abstraction, but it could be a challenge to those who aren't used to it."
Two of my favorite techniques. And while I agree with the aove quote, I wonder if I am alone in thinking that being no programmer can be called professional if challenged by these rather standard techniques.
|
|
Patrick Logan - Re: Mobile Applications Need Scripting Too!
9/2/2003; 5:53:03 AM (reads: 601, responses: 2)
|
|
|
no programmer can be called professional if challenged by these rather standard techniques
I'd like to agree, but we'd have to recall the standing of a number of programmers! 8^)
There are two things I'd like to see emphasized more in CS education: one, identify and study classic systems. I would include Emacs, Smalltalk-80, Scheme, "the browser", and several others.
Second, emphasizing that programmers are "language designers" to one degree or another in every endeavor.
|
|
Ehud Lamm - Re: Mobile Applications Need Scripting Too!
9/2/2003; 6:14:48 AM (reads: 605, responses: 0)
|
|
|
I would include Emacs, Smalltalk-80, Scheme, "the browser", and several others.
I agree. I try to give such example to my SE students, but it's not so easy if they lack background (e.g, never seen emacs). Last semester I discussed the design of an RSS aggregator in class. For most students this was way too complicated a system to understand in one go (we had almost 3 hours). I was disapointed but not surprised.
Second, emphasizing that programmers are "language designers" to one degree or another in every endeavor.
That's much more tricky. Even getting people to realize what we mean when we talk about abstraction is hard.
This sort of intution is best taught, in my experience, during a programming language course. I agree that such a course (EOPL based, or at least SICP based) should be mandatory for a CS degree.
|
|
Ehud Lamm - Re: Mobile Applications Need Scripting Too!
9/2/2003; 6:41:49 AM (reads: 599, responses: 0)
|
|
|
I would include Emacs, Smalltalk-80, Scheme, "the browser", and several others.
Two others: "the spreadsheet" and Google.
|
|
Patrick Logan - Re: Mobile Applications Need Scripting Too!
9/2/2003; 8:21:08 AM (reads: 567, responses: 0)
|
|
|
Two others: "the spreadsheet" and Google.
Excellent!
|
|
|
|