next major version -- wish list

[Awkward]

Hi!


This works in fpc - the "river"definition:

Code: Pascal  [Select][+][-]

1. const Elbe = Nil;

If you free  begin and end from the restrictions of the reserved words you could do:

Code: Pascal  [Select][+][-]

1. Const
2. CURLY=BEGIN;
3. BRACKETS=END;
4.  

Winni

Better to use

Code: Pascal  [Select][+][-]

1. {$MACRO ON}
2. {$DEFINE CURLY:=begin}
3. {$DEFINE BRACKETS:=end;}
4.  

[winni]

I'm getting used to new syntax.

Anyway, attached project compiles and works. And collects the old syntax garbage.

Zoran: ingenious!

Macros! Haven't thought of it.
Now Cheops is satisfied and can troll another forum!

And the garbage collection is so straight!

Winni

[eny]

it is past time to update FreePascal ---
even if that means we abandon backward compatibility.
for a start
1.  replace begin..end with curly brackets
2.  semicolon as statement terminator

Excellent suggestions!
I wonder why no one else ever thought of this... 
Maybe we can get completely rid of the block markers.
Let me think... maybe... work with indentation... every indentation is a new block by default...

And maybe to make the language a bit more beginner-friendly, label each line.
Maybe even force the use of line numbers, so we can refer to them when calling a function.

And while we are at it, maybe also make the language name shorter. Free pascal is way too long. It's 2020 FHS...
Can't we introduce a more BASIC name? P perhaps?

And what about all these confusing variable declarations at the beginning of functions.
Every time I want to introduce a new variable in a function I have to scroll up 15 pages.
Can't we make them dynamically typed? And introduce, it was already mentioned, garbage collection?

And the procedures and functions... OMG... please harmonize them... who in the world uses procedures anyways?

[Martin_fr]

Maybe we can get completely rid of the block markers.

There is much more that we could get rid off: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whitespace_(programming_language)

[Cheops]

 Reminds me  of middle-schoolyard recess.
Infantile taunting mixed with fake macro cred.

The reality remains, at one end there will be production programmers, working in teams, using managed code environments (C#, Kotlin, etc,) --- at the other end, bands of cloistered "purists" toiling to produce their hand-crafted masterpieces.

Hope that FPC 3.2.x can be rescued from the pile of mummies.

Just for the record, I used to teach programming (using Wirth "Systematic Programing"), now I manage a team of Java coders.  Pascal is only for thinking, not for actual code.

[Martin_fr]

Well, we had enough of this now.
This discussion (the very same topic) has been had several times.

Points 1 and 2 => Search the forum. The relevant people have explained why they will not happen. And repetition of some of the arguments will not change anything.
Some of many threads: https://forum.lazarus.freepascal.org/index.php/topic,50334 https://forum.lazarus.freepascal.org/index.php?topic=49183.0

Point 3 => not clear from description.
Feel free to open a topic asking what other ways there are (as in already implemented), to achive whatever you try to achive

Garbage Collection (not from O.T.) => search for managed types and new management operators. Learn how to use them.



Since it all has been discussed, I have now locked the topic (and will either do so with any attempt of revival in a new thread; or delete such attempts).

[FPK]

Well, we had enough of this now.

I thought it was only a cheap troll attempt and we had some fun?