Re: [ANN] guile-csv 0.0.1 released!

[Aleix Conchillo Flaqué]

On Fri, Feb 8, 2013 at 8:13 AM, Mark H Weaver <address@hidden> wrote:
>
> I haven't yet looked carefully at this code or its API, so this is no
> judgement on you, but in general, I don't think we should follow the
> model of "Hey, here's the first release of a library I just hacked up.
> Please add it to Guildhall now."  That's how we ended up with an ice-9
> directory that's full of bitrotted implementations of half-baked APIs.
>
> I'd much rather follow the example of Shiro Kawai, who is very cautious
> to experiment with new APIs at length before adding them to Gauche, and
> the result is IMO a beautiful and consistent set of APIs.
>
> Maybe we can find a good compromise position between these two extremes.
>
> What do other people think?
>

I see this from the other side.

I am pretty new to Guile and I don't have much experience designing
Guile APIs, tending to two actually (which is close to zero).

But what I see is a lack of libraries that new users can use. So, in
my case, I just thought "hey, I want to get there but before I would
need  a library for such and such" and I started to write them. I am
pretty sure that people with more experience would have written a
different API.

However, I agree that newbies should put special attention to detail,
even more actually, to try to learn and do the best as they can. There
should be no excuses there.

But if there are no libraries, even if not perfectly designed, it's
going to be hard for others to use Guile. It's a vicious circle.

And if more people use Guile, they will eventually re-design some of
the old (bad designed) APIs when they gain more experience with it. I
guess this happens in other languages too. But, at least, there was
something where to start.

Aleix