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Phoenix Is Trying To Be An Open Version Of Apple's Swift

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  • Phoenix Is Trying To Be An Open Version Of Apple's Swift

    Phoronix: Phoenix Is Trying To Be An Open Version Of Apple's Swift

    Apple unveiled the Swift programming language at this year's WWDC event but sadly it's still not clear whether Apple will "open up" the language to let it appear on non-Apple platforms. Swift is built atop LLVM and designed to be Apple's successor to Objective-C in many regards while suppoorting C/Obj-C/Obj-C++ all within a single program. With non-Apple folks being interested in the language, it didn't take long before an open-source project started up around it...

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  • #2
    What a waste of time...!!

    ...and manpower

    Comment


    • #3
      Originally posted by q2dg View Post
      ...and manpower
      I think it is important to realize that if no free implementation of that language emerges all code (free and non-free) implemented in that language will forever remain non-free.

      If the language doesn't take off we haven't lost much, we just gained a new language to write free software in. If the language succeeds we have a lot more people able to write for free systems if they please. This is hardly a waste of time.

      Not writing a free implementation is what will cost us. If it does take off we suddenly have a class of programmers unable to write for free platforms.

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by TMM_ View Post
        I think it is important to realize that if no free implementation of that language emerges all code (free and non-free) implemented in that language will forever remain non-free.

        If the language doesn't take off we haven't lost much, we just gained a new language to write free software in. If the language succeeds we have a lot more people able to write for free systems if they please. This is hardly a waste of time.

        Not writing a free implementation is what will cost us. If it does take off we suddenly have a class of programmers unable to write for free platforms.
        On the other hand a wait and see approach on whether Apple is going to choose to release it or not before starting such a project does have some merit

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by Luke_Wolf View Post
          On the other hand a wait and see approach on whether Apple is going to choose to release it or not before starting such a project does have some merit
          Sure, however it took Harmony for Sun to free Java. Having a competitive free implementation may be what it takes. It is in Apple's interest to have a language exclusive to them. It is however also in their favor to have outside contributers to their language.

          Having a competitive free implementation may just tip the scales.

          Comment


          • #6
            Apple will be making it available, once it's mature. These efforts are a waste of time.

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by TMM_ View Post
              I think it is important to realize that if no free implementation of that language emerges all code (free and non-free) implemented in that language will forever remain non-free.

              If the language doesn't take off we haven't lost much, we just gained a new language to write free software in. If the language succeeds we have a lot more people able to write for free systems if they please. This is hardly a waste of time.

              Not writing a free implementation is what will cost us. If it does take off we suddenly have a class of programmers unable to write for free platforms.
              Considering the syntax is very close to other modern languages like Go and Rust, I doubt it would effect anyone. I personally don't have problems mastering a programming language in a few days. I don't think we need programmers who willingly submit to ignorance either.

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by Marc Driftmeyer View Post
                Apple will be making it available, once it's mature. These efforts are a waste of time.
                Do you know that for certain? Or are you speculating?

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by gigaplex View Post
                  Do you know that for certain? Or are you speculating?
                  In order for Apple to expand Swift which is part of LLVM/Clang it must become a ISO standard. Swift 1.1 was just released with XCode 6.1. It is still being flushed out.

                  Just take a look at this revision history:



                  Legally, they have a lot of stuff to flush out [same with ObjC before they released it] and lots of stuff in flux.

                  It's a waste of time working on this outside of Apple proper.

                  A quick list of Swift:

                  - Cocoa and Coca Touch

                  - Build with LLVM compiler

                  - Optimizer and Autovectorizer

                  - ARC memory management

                  - Same runtime as Objective-C


                  Right now a lot of work is being flushed out with LLVM/Clang proper and at Apple, Google and elsewhere.

                  LLVM/Clang just added GoLang bindings and it's a more mature language than Swift. I'd give it some time.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Marc Driftmeyer View Post
                    In order for Apple to expand Swift which is part of LLVM/Clang it must become a ISO standard. Swift 1.1 was just released with XCode 6.1. It is still being flushed out.

                    Just take a look at this revision history:



                    Legally, they have a lot of stuff to flush out [same with ObjC before they released it] and lots of stuff in flux.

                    It's a waste of time working on this outside of Apple proper.

                    A quick list of Swift:

                    - Cocoa and Coca Touch

                    - Build with LLVM compiler

                    - Optimizer and Autovectorizer

                    - ARC memory management

                    - Same runtime as Objective-C


                    Right now a lot of work is being flushed out with LLVM/Clang proper and at Apple, Google and elsewhere.

                    LLVM/Clang just added GoLang bindings and it's a more mature language than Swift. I'd give it some time.
                    I must have missed the part where Swift needs to be an ISO standard for Apple to add support in LLVM/Clang. Can you provide a reference?

                    Comment

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