ObjC Syntax: still more on it!

[Christopher Nagel]

Hello all,

Well, I don't know if anyone cares, but I certainly do.  I am forwarding
this excerpt from the latest "Apple Directions Online" email.  It appears
that the decision to alter the syntax is still on the plate:

  Fifth, some programmers object to the un-C-like syntax of today's
  "classic" Objective C, which resembles that of (gasp!) Smalltalk. To
  make these programmers more comfortable with Objective C, Apple is
  modifying a future version of its Yellow Box compiler so that it will
  also accept a second, "modern" syntax that will make Yellow Box calls
  look more like C++ or Java code. (In many cases, you will not be able to
  tell whether you're writing C++ or Objective C code.) This compiler will
  not be ready for the Rhapsody Developer Release, but Apple will release
  it as soon as possible.

I would really like to know who these programmers are.  IMHO the terms
"classic" and "modern" are reversed: I'd say that SmallTalk's syntax is 
more modern than C++ or Java's, but that's just me...

This is really an issue because once Apple sinks money into a new parser, 
they are unlikely to maintain the existing syntax.  Once again, I'd urge
those programmers mentioned in the article above to come forward and give
us some good reasons to get behind their position.  Otherwise, once again,
I'd urge anyone who has an opinion to formulate a well-written, thoughtful,
polite message to rhapsody-dev-feedback at apple.com.

It may be too late to stop the initial release of the new parser, but it
may not be too late to save (and perhaps enhance) the Objective C syntax.

Happy communing,
Chris