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ECMAScript 4 & Apple's resistance

Because I'm out of the loop with my head in a thesis, I was surprised to hear about the dropping of tail calls in the plans for ECMAScript 4. There's a bit of interesting discussion on tail calls on that thread before it wanders off into general pure/impure flames. One gem is a Google Docs spreadsheet which shows the ECMA industrial members' votes on various proposals, including Apple's bleeding-red No column. That reads to me as an uncharacteristic resistance to innovation from Apple.

Posted by Ezra elias kilty Cooper on October 13, 2008 1:14 PM |

Comments

Playing the devil's advocate, maybe they don't want to innovate in those particular directions. Also, notice that, even though it is a lot of red, the rows are grouped by sections. So, if they don't want iterators as described at all, then they will say no to every one.

Furthermore, if you read their comments, I get the general impression they prefer to stay compatible with the current implementation. But here your point holds true: Apple is better known for their willingness to break with the old and bring on the new.

Posted by: Sean | October 13, 2008 2:09 PM

I'm not grumbling, mind you; I mainly just find it amusing.

But having worked on a standards committee once before, I know what it's like when one member throws up a lot of resistance to everything that everyone else wants to do: annoying.

Posted by: Ezra | October 24, 2008 1:18 PM

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