Crosscut

It's finally time to talk about why I chose to switch from postfix to prefix syntax. I have a whole list of reasons, but before I get into those, I need to clarify something: We will have both prefix and postfix elements eventually, like lots of languages do. But that is in the future. What I need right now, is something good enough to allow me to make progress in other areas.

Because even if I was willing to spend a lot of time on syntax right now, I couldn't come up with a truly good design. That requires iteration based on feedback from real-world use. And I can't enable that real-world use, without getting other areas sorted first.

So right now, the language requires a certain purity that it won't have long-term. I need an easy starting point that works reasonably well. And I've determined that postfix syntax is not that. Tomorrow, let's get an overview on why I think that is the case.