Re: bytecode unification for scripting languages

[Matthias Felleisen <matthias@ccs.neu.edu>]

  > From: Jeffrey Stephens <jsteve17@tampabay.rr.com>
  > Reply-To: jsteve17@tampabay.rr.com
  > Date: Wed, 1 Aug 2001 16:44:51 -0400
  > Content-Type: text/plain
  > Sender: owner-plt-scheme@fast.cs.utah.edu
  > Precedence: bulk
  > 
  > On Wed, 01 Aug 2001, Shriram Krishnamurthi wrote:
  > 
  > This comment is very interesting.  Years ago I remember reading a book by Ayn
  > Rand titled 'Atlas Shrugged'.  The theme of this work is that there are
  > a relatively few key innovators/producers/movers-and-shakers in the world in
  > every discipline, and if these individuals were somehow removed things would
  > fall apart.  This is precisely what happens in the book.  The hero, John Galt,
  > convinces a number of these people to "retire" early, and the machinery of
  > production grinds to a halt.  It makes one wonder what would happen to Scheme
  > or other projects if something similar happened.  Would Scheme wither on the
  > vine?  Just a thought.
  > 
  > Regards,
  > Jeff Stephens
  > 


I consider this the fourth generation of "Schemers." The first one was just
Steele (and Sussman). The second one was MIT Scheme, Indiana (Scheme 84),
and Yale (T/Orbit). The third one consists of Dybvig (Chez), Feeley
(Gambit), Clinger (MacScheme, Scheme 312), and Scheme 48. The fourth
generation means Big Loo, Mz/DrScheme, a few misc, and some survivors of
the third generation. [I know of Elk and Kava and scm and who knows what, I
just thought I'd mention the players that academic cs considered very
important.] At each stage, you could have thought that Scheme was dead.
It's alive and our efforts will ensure that the spirit of Scheme will
continue to live in some form.

Ayn Rand was wrong, though I know how you feel when you dream that you
could be John Galt. 

Matthias (Who's John Galt?)