45 replies to this topic

[Fabbrizio]

Wait, how do I get in then?

[Takuya]

why not set one up on sixlabrats? I can only go on ECNET if it has SSL or a nonstandard (i.e. not 6667) port. Lesse.

[Schwa]

I know almost zero code (except of course Zscript, which doesn't count much, and even that, meh), but even so I support this project 110%. The alchemy idea is sheer genius.

Keep us updated on your progress! I'll be sure to check this thread periodically (no pun intended, with all this talk of elements ).

[Beefster]

I set up a chat channel at sixlabrats. still #epl

[Fabbrizio]

still don't know how to get on.

[Beefster]

You'll need a chat client. I use chatZilla, but some people use mIRC or XChat.

If you don't want to download anything, you can use the PureZC Client or Mibbit.

On the client, type /attach irc.sixlabrats.com (if you aren't already connected)
then type /join #epl (in chatZilla, you can just type /j epl)

[Fabbrizio]

I got it working...my schedule's rather full, so what do you say to Sunday at 8am GMT (2pm my time)?

[Beefster]

Sundays don't really work for me. I've got family over then. And church.

Could we do Friday nights at 6 PM ish MDT? (7PM for you, 1AM GMT)

[Fabbrizio]

Sure, but if I'm not on by 7 go for 8. If I'm not on then, I can't make it and the meeting is canceled.

[Twilight Knight]

This is so interesting... So amateurs can just go and make their own programming language? That's indeed so ideal. If I ever get the chance to learn this kind of stuff, I will. Currently I'm aiming on PHP and Zscript. So zscript is a programming language too? Or just a bunch of text that ZC compiles as functions and such?

[Fabbrizio]

So zscript is a programming language too? Or just a bunch of text that ZC compiles as functions and such?

Essentially, those two things are one and the same. ZC has a built-in compiler that changes ZScript to binary functions, and thus it is properly defined by both of the sentences quoted.

A programming language is just anything that tells another component (in our case, the computer itself) to do something.

[Twilight Knight]

And how can you do/learn it? So you basically write commands to the computer when programming? I can't say else than: This is interesting!

[Fabbrizio]

Generally you need a compiler. Compilers are often rather expensive, but there are some freeware ones like Bloodshed Dev C++.

Compilers are specific to the language, so don't try putting Java into a C compiler.

It's a tad difficult for me to explain, so I recommend looking "programming languages" up on Wikipedia.

[Twilight Knight]

Nice, nice. I'll certainly look this up! Thanks for getting me to the point.

[Snarwin]

ZC has a built-in compiler that changes ZScript to binary functions, and thus it is properly defined by both of the sentences quoted.

Actually, ZScript compiles into ZASM, which is itself a scripting language, which the ZC player (presumably) executes using a built-in interpreter.

You still get to binary functions eventually, but it takes a couple of intermediate steps.

It's a tad difficult for me to explain, so I recommend looking "programming languages" up on Wikipedia.

A compiler is a program that takes source code file(s) (written in a certain programming language) as its input, and produces a set of binary, machine-language instructions (that is, a *.exe file) as its output. Essentially, it acts as a translator, taking instructions written by humans and turning them into something a computer can understand.

Another type of program, called an interpreter, does the same kind of human-to-computer translation, but instead of doing an entire file at once, it translates one command at a time, on the fly. Generally, interpreted programs run a little more slowly than compiled ones (because you have to run the interpreter in addition to your own program), but using an interpreter allows you to do some interesting things--like change your source code while the program is running--that just aren't possible with compilers.

Java, by the way, is unusual in that it uses a hybrid system with both a compiler and an interpreter, in order to be able to run the same code on lots of different systems.