[ocaml-biz] big O logos

[Brandon J. Van Every]

Pardon me while I deconstruct your input into oblivion.  :-)

Brian Hurt wrote:
>
> With that out of the way, I just had an idea- the image I'd like
> associated with Ocaml is the Swiss pocket watch.  The epitome
> of Victorian art, artifice, and practicallity.

But also, 100+ year old technology.  I don't think 'old fashioned' is a
good association.

> Beautiful, functional, and intricate.

Beating on these adjectives in isolation:

'Intricate' stikes me as a wholly negative adjective in a high tech
context.

'Beautiful', well, I think most people are more interested in the guts
than the shell.  What would a 'beautiful' programming language mean?  It
could mean elegance, for instance that's one of the ways we were
pitching Python.  But elegance isn't quite the same thing as beauty.
Also, I personally think OCaml has some weaknesses in the elegance dept.
It is tending towards the baroque and could stand a cleanup.  I'm not
sure how exactly, as I haven't enough experience with it yet.

'functional' isn't such a bad word, but unfortunately, doesn't mean so
much to people who don't do Functional Programming.  I mean, when you
buy consumer electronics, you expect it to function, right?
'functional' can also mean 'utilitarian'.  That can be good, but I think
'practical' or 'pragmatic' are probably better words than 'functional'.


Cheers,                         www.indiegamedesign.com
Brandon Van Every               Seattle, WA

20% of the world is real.
80% is gobbledygook we make up inside our own heads.