October Architects Meeting

[Burr Sutter]

IASA Atlanta is very happy to welcome back Neal Ford of ThoughtWorks
for a presentation on Domain Specific Languages and Language Oriented
Programming

Date: October 11 2006
Time: 6:30 to 8:30 PM
Location: Matrix Resources (directions at the bottom)

If you look at the way advanced programmers in highly dynamic
languages (like Lisp, Smalltalk, Ruby, etc.) work, they tend to build
domain specific languages on top of their low-level language. The
language syntax itself becomes building blocks for languages that are
highly specific to their problem domain. It's not as easy to apply
this technique to a static language (like Java), but it is possible.
This session discusses the implications of this style of development,
both in static and dynamically typed languages. It discusses internal
and external DSLs, with pros and cons for each. This session
progresses from creating an internal DSLs through using
compiler-building tools to create your own external DSL arriving
ultimately at the new tools that allow you to build, edit, and deploy
external DSL (language workbenches). This session covers the theory
and practice of building DSL's and why this is an important step in
the evolution of programming paradigm. It shows tools that are
available now to build DSL's and discusses tools on the horizon that
will make this much easier.

Neal Ford is an Application Architect for ThoughtWorks. He is an
architect, designer, and developer of applications, instructional
materials, magazine articles, and video/DVD presentations. Neal is
also the author of Developing with Delphi: Object-Oriented Techniques
(Prentice Hall PTR, 1996), JBuilder 3 Unleashed (SAMS Publishing,
1999), and Art of Java Web Development (Manning, 2003). His language
proficiencies include Java, C#/.NET, Ruby, Object Pascal, C++, and C.
Neal's primary consulting focus is the design and construction of
large-scale enterprise applications. He is also an internationally
acclaimed speaker, having spoken at over 30 developers' conferences
worldwide.

Directions to Matrix Resources:

Place: Matrix Resources (Note: we will be meeting on the 2nd floor in
the Matrix conference room, knock on the glass/door if you arrive
late)
Address:
115 Perimeter Center Place, NE
Atlanta, GA 30346
Directions:
- I-285 Exit 29 Ashford-Dunwoody Road (East of 400)
- Pass Perimeter Mall on your left
- Turn left at the 4th traffic light onto Perimeter Center West.
- The 3rd driveway on right will be marked SOUTH TERRACES and 115
Perimeter Center Place.
- Turn right into the curving driveway and enter parking garage.

Contact: Burr Sutter (burrsutter at gmail.com / 770-714-3292)