2005/11/23, Jon Harrop <jon@ffconsultancy.com>:
> Following Oliver's objections regarding the lack of serious software written
> in OCaml (e.g. web servers), I have written a very serious Mandelbrot
> renderer. The program is 35 lines of OCaml and renders using OpenGL. This
> page breaks it down and describes how it works:

Nice job, but I don't think it has something to do with Olivier's
remarks. Serious software written in OCaml exists (Astrée, Coq, ..),
no one doubts that. What lacks is mainstream serious software, and it
makes OCaml not so visible.

I rather suspect that Jon was making a joke here....

People don't realize OCaml is a general purpose language: I was once
told on an IRC chan: "OCaml ? I only know one software written in
OCaml..." Also, people learn to write many fun real-world application
in C, but only "boring" scientific stuff in OCaml (when they're taught
OCaml). That's the kind of problems which was adressed.

I think this really is a problem, although there are a few exceptions (mldonkey and unison come to mind.) But the lack of applications is not, I think, for lack of suitability of the language. The company where I work (quick hiring plug: http://janestcapital.com/ocaml.html) has had quite a bit of luck building rather interesting and practical trading and financial applications in OCaml, but those are all for internal use, so it doesn't help much for OCaml's visibility.

y