[Scriptonite-dev] Collaboration with Mozilla.

[Raif S. N. <ra...@fl...>]

Clayton and Norris,

First of all, sorry for the delay in getting back to you. I was hoping to 
get some feedback from the team, alas everybody seems to be very busy.

We are flattered to receive your offer of collaboration with you in the 
Mozilla project, but there are few points that i would like to clarify:

1. Scriptonite.org is incepted with the goal of "providing a grammar and 
interpreter for the ECMAScript language written in java using SableCC. " 
SableCC is an open-source (GNU LGPL), full java implementation of a 
Compiler Compiler recognising LALR(1) grammars. It offers the following 2 
main advantages:

         (a) Automatic generation of strictly-typed abstract syntax trees, and
         (b) Automatic generation of tree-walker classes.

(More can be found about SableCC at its home page: 
<http://www.sable.mcgill.ca/sablecc/>).

The implication of using SableCC, compared to for example JavaCC (which i 
have used), is best described as a clean, easy-to-use and easy-to-maintain 
source code base of java classes generated from an input grammar. I.e. once 
the grammar is stable, the programmer can work with the generated AST 
classes without needing to embed within the grammar input file any semantic 
actions or code. The result is a better separation between the grammar and 
the semantic actions.

2. My personal reason for joining the scriptonite.org team is to learn how 
to use SableCC. I am planning on using SableCC. instead of JavaCC in 
another project that I am managing, which is an (open-source project too) 
ASN.1 Developers' Kit at Cryptix (see: 
<http://www.cryptix.org/products/asn1/index.html>).

The fact that the author of SableCC, Mr. Etienne Gagnon, is actively 
participating in the Scriptonite team, makes achieving this personal goal 
both easy and pleasurable.


Given the above, i think a way of collaboration would be for 
scriptonite.org to provide Mozilla with, at least, the ECMAScript grammar 
and the supporting lexer, parser and AST walker classes. You may of course 
have some other ideas. In such case, we would be happy to hear them.


Look forward to hearing from you soon + cheers;
rsn

Cc: scriptonite.org developers.

PS. You mentioned in your letter that you are working on versions beyond 3; 
eg. 4 and 5. Are there documents about the features of such versions? If 
yes, how can one have access to them?  TIA.



>>X-From_: cl...@ne... Thu Apr  6 04:37:09 2000
>>Delivered-To: ra...@fl...
>>Date: Wed, 05 Apr 2000 11:35:57 -0700
>>From: cl...@ne... (Clayton Lewis)
>>Organization: Netscape Communications Corporation
>>X-Mailer: Mozilla 4.72 [en] (WinNT; U)
>>X-Accept-Language: en
>>To: ra...@fl...
>>Cc: no...@ne...
>>Subject: Re: FW: For information (Seeking permission to include ECM-262.pdf
>>  insoftware distributions)
>>
>>Raif,
>>
>>I'm happy to hear that JavaScript is getting another implementation 
>>team.  Until just last week I was the manager of Netscape's JavaScript 
>>team, am now doing a different job here at Netscape.  But that's a 
>>different story.  Did you guys know that the Mozilla open sources contain 
>>two Edition 3 conforming engines?  One written in Java and the other in 
>>C.  They're governed by Mozilla Public License or under GPL, both are 
>>dual licensed.
>>
>>The team here, together with contributions throughout the Mozilla 
>>community is working on JavaScript 2.0 which will conform to the next 
>>ECMA Edition (4) and we're working well beyond that, foreseeing Edition 5 
>>as well.  Again, all in open source.  If our work aligns with your plans 
>>and needs we would love to work together with you in Mozilla.
>>
>>I'm cc'ing Norris Boyd who is now managing the JavaScript team 
>>here.  Norris is very technically inclined and an excellent manager.  You 
>>might want to discuss cooperation with him directly (though he's on 
>>vacation until Monday of next week.)
>>
>>Best,
>>= Clayton =