[MLton] using MLBs for scripting

[Stephen Weeks]

> I agree about the three problems that are lacking my only point is
> that even with those three reasons fixed. I'd still prefer to use
> Python or Perl for scripting, purely for syntax issues.
...
> You really also need more convient syntax IMNHO for this to
> work. Maybe, you have a different set of scripting applications in
> mind but SML doesn't seem like the right language to me.

Yes, SML syntax is cumbersome for this sort of thing, but that cost
must be traded off against the win from SML's many pluses.  You're
right in inferring that I find that the pluses outweigh the minuses
more often than you do.

To mention the same example that you did, there are already things
that we would have done in the bin/mlton script, except that sh is too
gross, so the code is in the compiler proper, and the compiler is less
flexible as a result.

The win over sh is usually pretty easy because sh is so weak.  The win
over, say, Python, is not so easy, because Python is nice and has lots
of libraries.  But the win also depends a lot on programmer SML
ability -- I'm quite experienced with SML, and so it is easier for it
to be a win for me than someone else.