Re: Org mode and Emacs

[Tim Cross <theophilusx@gmail.com>]

David Masterson <dsmasterson@gmail.com> writes:

> Ihor Radchenko <yantar92@gmail.com> writes:
>
>> David Masterson <dsmasterson@gmail.com> writes:
>>
>>>> This last point also raises a question. Can Elisp interpreter and
>>>> libraries be factored out of Emacs to create a way to execute Elisp
>>>> programs without installing all the interactive parts of Emacs?
>>>
>>> Isn't Tim Cross(?) working on something like that -- ie. a parser for
>>> the Org language.  Once we have a solid parser, we can build a standard
>>> (set of?) backend(s) for much of Orgmode.
>>
>> Org already have a parser. Written in Elisp. Export is built on top of
>> the parser.
>
> But Elisp is not portable to a non-Emacs system (say, iPhone).  In the
> long run, it would be better to define a "parseable" language as the
> standard basis for Org.  From that, people can develop (parts of) Org on
> other platforms (Vim, Beorg, Orgzly) and test/prove that they are
> compatible with version X of the language.  I think Organice was doing
> this, but I haven't looked at it deeply.
>

This is all part of the aims and process. However, the first step is to
develop a robust elisp based parser. This helps to ensure the org syntax
is consistent and helps identifies ambiguities which need to be fixed as
well as provides a reference implementation which developers can use to
develop parsers in other languages.

> Oh, but I see your point about "export". By backend, I was assuming a
> true parser would generate a standard "internal" language which could be
> fed into simpler backends to actually do the work.  The front-end parser
> and back-ends could be translated/rebuilt as needed on new platorms
> (iOS, Android, MS-Windows, etc.).  More is needed than this, but that's
> the idea.

Personally, I think it is unlikely we will ever see an org mode for
other platforms which is equivalent to Emacs. However, the work which is
being done to create a clean parser in elisp and use that as the basis
for an API to manipulate org data, generate font-locking and formatting
and provide a clean API for exporters to use will make it much easier
for people to develop external org support at varying levels. 

Those doing the main work, like Ihor, are very aware of the desire to
facilitate external implementations. It is one reason that a fairly
conservative attitude to change is adopted by the project and often, one
consideration is what imapct a change would have on external org
compatible projects. Sometimes, this is challenging as on one level, we
want ot advance and improve org mode, but on the other, we want it to be
as stable as possible to reduce adverse impact on external projects. So
while the main target is and will always be Emacs, an eye is kept on
efforts of other external projects and an effort is made to support them
when possible and within Emacs and FSF principals/guidelines. 

So far, the key contributors have been doing a very good job.