tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10678074.post7094086859611059474..comments2024-03-28T07:16:45.478+00:00Comments on making apps, making webs.: mini languages that non programmers can understandUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10678074.post-5346717074023983412010-01-12T20:21:11.222+00:002010-01-12T20:21:11.222+00:00$ ls -la
Most UNIX users get that one, even if th...$ ls -la<br /><br />Most UNIX users get that one, even if they're not programmers.<br /><br />2 + 2 = 4<br /><br />Most modern Westerners understand that one.<br /><br />The problem with calling such things "mini-languages" is there's no real floor--there's a pretty continuous line of simpler and simpler "languages" until you devolve into symbology and semiology. Cutting them off at "text-based" seems pretty arbitrary.fumanchuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12100140919727858844noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10678074.post-30969901653783633322010-01-12T18:55:43.444+00:002010-01-12T18:55:43.444+00:00I quite like making parsers for mini languages and...I quite like making parsers for mini languages and have made a few.<br /><br />If you are going to use json, you might as well use YAML (you can even have directives). I like yaml but users seem not too (or json of course).<br /><br />Even though it makes my blood boil to say it, lots of non technical users know basic html. So a little horrible xml syntax people get used to tags. ie <br />bob. Its verbose and horrible, but it goes down pretty well and there are plenty of parsers around.<br /><br />Also wiki markup is a language of sorts (so is reStructuredText).<br /><br />Other than that write your own. I use pyparsing. There are plenty that do in the python world.<br /><br /><a href="http://pyparsing.wikispaces.com/WhosUsingPyparsing#pybtex" rel="nofollow"> Pyparsing Users</a><br /><br />There is a Bibtex parser in there.<br /><br />Also look ay the <a href="http://pyparsing.wikispaces.com/Examples" rel="nofollow"> examples </a>kindlyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03902893808985691811noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10678074.post-35813114517286258942010-01-12T14:37:13.819+00:002010-01-12T14:37:13.819+00:00Perhaps BibTeX? Interestingly Lua supports it dire...Perhaps <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BibTeX" rel="nofollow">BibTeX</a>? Interestingly <a href="http://www.lua.org/pil/12.html" rel="nofollow">Lua</a> supports it directly by design.Juho Vepsäläinenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08481088432274153896noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10678074.post-81949765057006034762010-01-12T12:37:12.739+00:002010-01-12T12:37:12.739+00:00ah yeah. json and python are both good examples. ...ah yeah. json and python are both good examples. However json is more on the simple side, and python can get quite complicated. I guess some people use a subset of python, just like json is a subset of javascript.<br /><br />Others are twitter, irc and even sms speak I guess. 'send your age to 9293XXX now' type stuff is kind of a mini programming language.René Dudfieldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17762358075557755436noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10678074.post-42568968473893246232010-01-12T09:59:28.778+00:002010-01-12T09:59:28.778+00:00Python is probably easier to read than some of tho...Python is probably easier to read than some of those if just parts are used.<br /><br />For example, just like a Django settings file.<br /><br />Otherwise, JSON?Dougalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09183581228040499732noreply@blogger.com