[plt-scheme] poll: keyword syntax

Three reasons why I prefer to maintain the current state:
1: I am conservative (not in all respects but with respect to languages, natural or computer, I am)
2: The # is generally used for special things. A keyword is a special thing. #:k seems better visible than :k or k:
3: People (me included)  may be using identifiers starting and/or ending with a colon.

I think that #: belongs in the range of #', #&, #, , #,@, etc.
It is always possible to adapt your readertable such as to insert # before a colon automatically (as an option please, not as a 
fixed rule)
You might even consider an option to suppress showing # when preceeding a colon.

Keywords should be easily visible (with some emphasis) in the program text. #:key is much better distinctive than :key or key:.
I agree that we need some characters to have special effect (parentheses, brackets, quotes, double quotes, backslashes, vertical 
bars, braces, white space and #) I prefer the set of special effect characters to be as small as possible. mho,
Jos

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Matthew Flatt" <mflatt at cs.utah.edu>
To: <plt-scheme at list.cs.brown.edu>
Sent: Sunday, June 14, 2009 5:25 PM
Subject: [plt-scheme] poll: keyword syntax


> I'm curious about the popularity of different syntaxes for keywords
> among the readers of this mailing list. Specifically, I'm curious about
> the relative popularity of a "#:" prefix (which is what we currently
> have), a ":" prefix, or a ":" suffix.
>
> Let me know what you think by visiting
>
>  http://rains.cs.utah.edu:8000/
>
> The "vote" is not binding in any sense. I'd just like to get a better
> idea of what PLT Scheme programmers think, since I consider the
> question to be purely a matter if opinion --- and not worth debating at
> all on the list. :)
>
> I'll report results back here in a few days.
>
> Thanks!
>
>
> Matthew
>
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