Category: Link

GTK-server

GTK-server is another way to write portable GUIs with your favorite programming language.

The GTK-server is a free, open-source project, which offers a stream-oriented interface to the GTK libraries, enabling access to graphical user interfaces for shellscripts and interpreted programming languages using either GTK 1.x or 2.x.

Low Exposure: librep

Have you ever heard of librep?

librep is a dialect of Lisp, designed to be used both as an extension language for applications, and for use as a general programming language. It was originally written to be mostly-compatible with Emacs Lisp, but has subsequently diverged markedly. Its aim is to combine the best features of Scheme and Common Lisp and provide an environment that is comfortable for implementing both small and large scale systems. It tries to be a “pragmatic” programming language.

Low Exposure: IronScheme

Have you ever heard of IronScheme?

IronScheme [aims] to be a R6RS compliant Scheme implementation based on the Microsoft DLR.

These aren’t just nebulous goals either, they’ve actually got the interpreter up and running!
With so much development going on around the DLR right now; I’m going to pay extra special attention to when the *next* Lang.NET symposium is going to happen. It looks like a lot of fun!
Addendum: 24/10/08
ANN: IronScheme 1.0 beta 1

Using Scheme's Eval in Sandbox

One of the most tantalizing features that folks hear about Scheme is the eval function. While in reality, when it comes to meta-programming most modern Scheme distributions have evolved other mechanisms to do so, eval is still a big draw. The biggest shock most folks have when it comes to Scheme, though, is that you can only evaluate expressions in the top level environment. If eval holds your interest long enough, for perhaps any number of different different reasons, you will eventually reach the point where you want to do use it to evaluate code that you didn’t write (my inspiration came in the form of the Dolphin Smalltalk tutorial task where you write network chat clients that can send code to each other for execution). Whatever *your* inspiration was, though, you will also reach the point where you realize that you don’t necessarily want arbitrary code to be executed in the environment in which you are running your program; you don’t want folks sending (exit) for example, that can be pretty irritating. One way to work around this issue to to evaluate your code in a sandbox.
Here are three ways to do it with PLT Scheme: DynamicEvalCustomNamespace, DynamicUntrustedEval, and Sandboxed Evaluation.
Addendum 04/22/08:
Here is a link directly to the Schematics PLT package which provides “a library of useful procedures on namespaces”.

Want to chat about Scheme?

Email discussion lists and comp.lang.scheme are an excellent to start.
Another option is #scheme on IRC at Freenode; there is nothing like speaking to another human being about Scheme.
When you talk with folks; you learn faster and have a lot more fun. When you are really digging into a concept, the kind soul who answers your question at just the right moment can make the difference between learning the concept now, or in a few days. Not to say that learning is a race; it is just so much fun that I think everyone loves to learn the next thing!
An aside; I’ve found that my mastery of topics, and in particular the lack thereof, is revealed much more quickly to me when I open my mouth! I won’t miss a chance to do so!