Re: [Caml-list] Interactive technical computing

[Jon Harrop <jon@ffconsultancy.com>]

On Friday 09 March 2007 13:33, Robert Fischer wrote:
> > They don't make binary shared libraries
> > because the architecture is a virtual machine driven by
> > bytecode .. they DO make dynamically linkable bytecode
> > libraries.
>
> As long as you play within the bounds of their VM.  This is no different
> than Ocaml.

On the contrary, it is very different:

Can you dynamically load code and get native performance? Not with OCaml.

Can you compile to a cross-platform format and keep native performance? Not 
with OCaml.

Can you write an interactive environment (top level) and keep native 
performance? Not with OCaml.

Can you link to libraries (e.g. OpenGL) and be cross-platform? Not with OCaml 
(I think, because you need a custom run-time).

I've got a killer high-performance 2D and 3D visualization library written in 
OCaml and I'd like to sell it, but I don't want to sell the source code 
because I value it too much. What can I do? Well, I can port it to F# and 
sell it there. In the mean time, OCaml users are stuck with GNUPlot.

-- 
Dr Jon D Harrop, Flying Frog Consultancy Ltd.
OCaml for Scientists
http://www.ffconsultancy.com/products/ocaml_for_scientists