Hello,
This morning, I've read messages from distribution lists I'm registered
with.
Then comp.lang.eiffel came to my mind. It's been a very long time I've
not read posts in this newsgroup.
I'm touched by what is being expressed in this thread because it's
connected with what is very alive in people who are posting messages.
I can perceive some frustration, even anger or fear, in some messages.
Are those feelings related to some unmet need of security regarding
Eiffel or deceived hope?
* Security?
Eiffel is very promising to help people achieve best practices of OO
Software Engineering.
The 'Eiffel-method' in itself provides some kind of security in this
respect.
Paradoxically, the Eiffel tools do not provide security. Some tools are
dying (Ve) or have died (Hact), others (ISE, SE) implement diverging
sublanguages. Even when you take just one tool into account, it can
evolve in such a way that what you've done before gets broken or
involve a lot of effort (SE, ISE). New ones (Gec) are rising but there
is no security about compatibility.
The Eiffel language by itself is evolving. The latest evolution, ECMA,
has led to a fork in 2 sublanguages. I just can express my pain about
this because my need for security is hungry.
I've been an Eiffel developer for 10 years and working with Eiffel 8
hours a day, 5 days a week, for 10 years.
I need Language/Tool/Vendor security because we're now about 10 people
maintaining about 20 applications with around 6000 classes related to
our core business. That is why I regularly interact with my Eiffel
vendor so that my needs and their needs are met in some win-win
interaction.
* Vitality
People who are spending a lot of energy through their implication in a
common base for past/current/future Eiffel give me hope (Gobo, ePosix,
and many others). This up-to-now never ending vitality reassures me.
This current support of users by users and for users is, for me, the
sign that we have enough power to serve our own need of security.
* Criticism - enthusiasm
I can read a lot of criticism about Eiffel method/tools/vendors/etc...
And I receive them as the expression of pain by people who have been
enthusiastic about Eiffel.
I would like to ask what they are right-now precisely missing?
Precisely, i.e. something doable right-now.
* Why I do not read comp.lang.eiffel frequently
As I said earlier, I do not read comp.lang.eiffel that much. Just
because I've accepted that Eiffel is a niche language, that Eiffel
tools are what they are, and that Eiffel vendor(s) need help and
feedback (unusual in a standard vendor/client relationship).
I also realized that Eiffel is not a dream, or that I have my part to
play in that game.
I stopped reading comp.lang.eiffel because I want to save my energy; I
do not want to spend time convincing people; I am willing to
contribute, helping people who are ready to do their part.
My intention by writing this post? Share experience, feelings and
needs.
Tell that I'm convinced that Eiffel shall become what we choose to do
with it : nothing more, nothing less.
I appreciate feeback about my post.
Best regards,
Paul G. Crismer
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