[LispSea] A 'get things done' app (in Lisp)

[Brandon J. Van Every]

Dennis E. Hamilton wrote:
> I'm curious:
>
>   1. Exactly what would implementing a LispSea web site demonstrate?
>   

To an external observer: nothing.  An unscrupulous marketer would put a 
"Powered by Lisp" logo on the website even if it was a complete lie!  
:-)  Who'd know the difference?

Within LispSea itself, it would demonstrate the capacity to organize a 
major project.  That's great if you've got web people who want to do 
it.  If it's within the scope of the energy they want to spend.  If 
anyone cares about organizing *major* projects, as opposed to minor 
projects, or just networking people's personal projects.

If accomplished, it would make a good presentation for *other* groups, 
to get converts.  "This is what we did with Lisp."  SeaFunc has never 
attempted to evangelize in other language or technology groups.

Having a LispSea website that allows us to database people's bios and 
interests and other stuff would be useful.

>   2. What does someone get that they don't have already using well-known
> tools, servers, and infrastructure services? 
>
>   3. What makes Lisp killer for web sites?
>
>   4. How much is just plain work that has to be done no matter what the
> server-side technology is?  What impact is there on client-side technology?
> (Ajax, etc.)
>
> This is not something I would have thought is in the Lisp sweet spot.  I'm
> asking because I don't know the answer to these questions and I wonder what
> is appealing about that case.
>   

I don't know either.  I've heard of some web things on comp.lang.lisp, 
but I'm a web nunce and can't evaluate them.  I started identifying 
stuff when I had a friend who wanted to do an internet dating site and I 
was going through my CL booster phase.

I do think "web apps" are a strategically important market.  All the 
other "slightly enlightened" languages have been popularized because 
they could do something on the web.  Perl, Python, Ruby, it's about the 
web.  Lisp should have its web app and its web books too, so it can 
compete on the same playing field.

I don't think LispSea can accomplish any "web app evangelism" in 
isolation.  People interested in that, would have to partake of some 
broader, worldwide effort.  I don't know the Lisp web landscape or who's 
offering anything any good.  I do know that Python has its Plone, and 
Ruby has its Rails.

If someone wants to head up web stuff, that's great.  Someone with the 
energy to participate in global Lisp web efforts, and use LispSea as a 
guinea pig.  Can't see myself helping to do any of that though.  I'm not 
a web guy, I simply don't care.  In fact I bolted from the Seattle 
Python Interest Group because they were always talking about web and 
database stuff that bores me to tears.  I can see myself writing 
articles on such a website, or providing 3D demos.  Y'all know I like to 
write.  :-)

Be aware though: results matter.  It's one thing to want a LispSea 
lisp-based website.  It's another thing to get it done.  When SeaFunc 
was confronted with such logistical choices, people hemmed and hawed for 
3 days and then I said, "Ok, we're doing a Yahoo! mailing list.  Because 
it works.  It works NOW."  And nobody's lifted a finger to change 
anything since then.  That was 1.5 years ago.  Part of the reason 
SeaFunc has survived and slowly grown, is we didn't create "big work 
impediments" to our group's health.  I'm all for web projects.  They 
should *NOT* be on the critical path for LispSea's health and growth.


Cheers,
Brandon Van Every