Subject:
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Re: Why java (or other langs) for Robots
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.robotics
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Date:
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Wed, 18 Jan 2006 01:09:15 GMT
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Original-From:
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dan miller <DANBMIL99@YAHOOspamless.COM>
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Viewed:
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1565 times
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Let me throw in here: the reason to port a high-level language like Java (or
my favorite, Python) to a machine like NXT, even though there may be some
compromises:
Programming is hard. Programming in a language that is closer to the
machine is generally harder (I would put Java closer to the machine than
most, but that's just opinion). With 256K rom + 64K ram, you can do one of
two things: use it all for a long, complex, performance-enhanced program.
Or, you can use most of the memory and CPU to enable one to write a small
program quickly and concisely, in a language he/she can learn in a couple
hours.
This is exactly what TLG tried to do with RIS, and what they may be able to
do to some degree with LabView. Those are visual languages; there is an
argument to be made that a simple text-based language would be an excellent
addition to the tools available. If nothing else, it gives budding
programmers a chance to get their hands on something a bit more serious and
real-world than the drag-and-drop stuff that will come with the box.
So the question is really not whether a high-level language will be ported,
but which ones will get the most attention, and what tradeoffs will be made.
Obviously NQC will make it to NXT quickly; however, IMSHO this won't
maximize what we've been given to work with. A 4GL scripting language such
as Python, Ruby, or Lua, (maybe even Scheme), with next-gen data structures
(arbitrarily indexed tables, true polymorphism), and with tons of www
support (tutorials, downloadable free code, user communities, etc), will
really enhance the NXT experience for a good percentage of youngsters for
whom it will be their first exposure to what programming is all about.
-dbm
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