Newsgroups: comp.lang.lisp
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From: lwall@netlabs.com (Larry Wall)
Subject: Re: Why is Lisp inactive compared to Perl et al?
Message-ID: <1995May12.193616.23784@netlabs.com>
Organization: NetLabs, Inc., Los Altos, California.
References: <20030.larso171@maroon.tc.umn.edu> <19950506T105623Z.enag@naggum.no> <1995May8.235404.23513@netlabs.com> <ludemannD8DoCz.Kqx@netcom.com>
Date: Fri, 12 May 1995 19:36:16 GMT
Lines: 20

In article <ludemannD8DoCz.Kqx@netcom.com>,
Peter Ludemann <ludemann@netcom.com> wrote:
: In article <1995May8.235404.23513@netlabs.com>,
: Larry Wall <lwall@netlabs.com> wrote:
: >You've inadvertently hit the nail on the head.  Most ordinary folks feel
: >that abstraction just gets in the way of their getting practical work done.
: 
: Yeah.  Right now I'm cleaning up the mess left by a programmer who
: thought that abstraction just gets in the way.  The attitude of "most
: ordinary folks" is a great way of creating a lot of work.

True enough, but I was just trying to answer the question posed in the
subject line.  The trouble with ordinary folks is there's so many of 'em.
When you ignore a majority of the people, you shouldn't be surprised when
a majority of the people ignore you.

I suppose the not-so-serious response would be that creating work is good
for keeping the unemployment figures down.  But that's pretty abstract...

Larry
