[ocaml-biz] strategy bullet point list

[Brandon J. Van Every]

Ok, we've talked a lot.  We need to coalesce what we've said into a
short bullet point list, and get it posted on http://wiki.cocan.org/ so
there's an institutional memory of what we're thinking and planning.
The shorter, the better.  I'll take a stab at some bullet points, feel
free to add.  But *PLEASE*, don't expand discussion.  This is to develop
a bullet point list, and it's not a bullet point list if there are
paragraphs of debate in the way.  If you don't like an item on the list,
make a bullet point objection to it, not a paragraph.

- OCaml offers superior high level language features, superior type
safety, and performance.

- This should be "The Mantra."

- C++ is neither high level nor type safe.  Java and C# do not offer
performance, and OCaml is better at HLL features and type safety.

- converting C++, Java, and C# users to OCaml is the core strategy

- interop / migration technologies are needed for that strategy

- OCaml is a systems language, not a scripting language.  It competes
with other systems languages.

- Scripting languages such as Perl, Ruby, and Lua cannot replace C++,
Java, and C#.  They are not competition and do not matter.  No resources
should be spent worrying about them.

- Python is attempting to be a systems language.  OCaml must become
popular before Python achieves decent performance.

- OCaml's window of market opportunity will close in a few years if we
don't act now.  Other languages have more critical mass and aren't
sitting still.

- OCaml can be used imperatively.  One has a choice.

- We should not pitch "a choice."  We don't want mainstream programmers
thinking they have to choose a new methodology.  We should simply
demonstrate coding styles, and *not* call them Functional Programming.

- pounce on Java and C#'s hot language feature buzzwords.  Say we do
those things better.

- avoid academese at all cost

- a statement from INRIA about its attitude towards business will be
needed at some point

- OCaml is open source.  Java is not.  C# is an ISO standard, but .NET
is not.


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

When no one else sells courage, supply and demand take hold.