http://www.artima.com/weblogs/ Artima Weblogs is a community of bloggers posting on a wide range of topics of interest to software developers. http://www.artima.com/images/artima88x33.gif http://www.artima.com/ http://www.artima.com/weblogs/viewpost.jsp?thread=242653 We recently moved "Python 3 Patterns & Idioms" from Launchpad to BitBucket. Here's why. http://www.artima.com/weblogs/viewpost.jsp?thread=240833 In this episode I will discuss the multiple evaluation issue, then I will show how macros can improve performance. Finally, I will give a practical example of how macros can be used to define a unit test framework. http://www.artima.com/weblogs/viewpost.jsp?thread=242220 A useful collection of observations about our profession. http://www.artima.com/weblogs/viewpost.jsp?thread=242122 Mark March 9-13 on your calendar. http://www.artima.com/weblogs/viewpost.jsp?thread=242077 Sun's focus on JavaFX has resulted in less progress on improving Swing development productivity. Has the shift of focus to JavaFX from Swing hurt the cause of client-side Java? http://www.artima.com/weblogs/viewpost.jsp?thread=240805 Yet another episode fully devoted to macros. I will discuss introspection, guarded patterns, literal identifiers, and a couple of common beginner's mistakes. http://www.artima.com/weblogs/viewpost.jsp?thread=240804 This episode is entirely devoted to Scheme macros from a personal point of view. Pattern matching is introduced as the fundamental mechanism on which macros are built. http://www.artima.com/weblogs/viewpost.jsp?thread=240826 Trying to do some simple file processing and strip blank lines, Andy stumbles through the "Ruby is supposed to feel natural" approach and just tries things. The conclusion - Python list comprehensions are still more flexible and powerful than any Ruby feature and inject is possibly the most misleadingly named function I've ever encountered. http://www.artima.com/weblogs/viewpost.jsp?thread=241209 Most build systems start out with dependencies, then realize they need language features and eventually discover they should have started with language design. http://www.artima.com/weblogs/viewpost.jsp?thread=240793 In this episode I will explain the meaning of the "code is data" concept. To this aim I will discuss the quoting operation which allows to convert a code fragment into a list of symbols and primitive values - i.e. converts code into data. Then, I will discuss the issue of evaluating data as code. http://www.artima.com/weblogs/viewpost.jsp?thread=241140 Headhunters are like travel agents, except that it's taking the web longer to make them go away. http://www.artima.com/weblogs/viewpost.jsp?thread=241076 It's been a good run, but the WYSIWIG editing facilities of Blogger have lured me away from Artima. http://www.artima.com/weblogs/viewpost.jsp?thread=240781 In this installment I pave the way to the heart of Lisp, i.e. to the famous *code is data* concept. In order to do that, I will have to introduce two fundamental data types first: symbols and lists. http://www.artima.com/weblogs/viewpost.jsp?thread=240841 Recently I have received a wonderful EeePC as a wedding present and I am very happy with it. http://www.artima.com/weblogs/viewpost.jsp?thread=240864 David Kreth Allen reflects on the fact that in his experience "people seem to favor artifacts and practices over principles." My reply follows: