GCC Is Working On An Implementation Of Microsoft's Language Server Protocol

[Delgarde]

As David Wheeler once said, "All problems in computer science can be solved by another level of indirection... Except for the problem of too many layers of indirection"

Yeah, that was my reaction as well. I appreciate the problem they're trying to solve, but abstractions often have the effect of either reducing everything to the lowest common denominator, or forcing people to circumvent the abstraction to get things done.

[bitman]

Yeah, that was my reaction as well. I appreciate the problem they're trying to solve, but abstractions often have the effect of either reducing everything to the lowest common denominator, or forcing people to circumvent the abstraction to get things done.

It clearly is an improvement over current system though. If there is something protocol does not cover - protocol can be extended. I am sure world is open to a better solution though, but noone came up with one yet.

[JPerez]

copyright on a protocol? so you have your tinfoil hat ready?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venturi_Transport_Protocol

[JPerez]

copyright on a protocol? so you have your tinfoil hat ready?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proprietary_protocol

[RahulSundaram]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proprietary_protocol

That either refers to specific implementations or other mechanisms like patents. Not copyright.

[mmstick]

In principle yes but I wonder what is the copyright / patent status of this particular protocol. Don't forget we are talking about Microsoft.

Microsoft isn't the only party involved here. They are but one of three parties. The other two parties are Red Hat and Codenvy. Do you really think Red Hat would be working with Microsoft to create a proprietary technology for Microsoft? No.

[Delgarde]

It clearly is an improvement over current system though. If there is something protocol does not cover - protocol can be extended. I am sure world is open to a better solution though, but noone came up with one yet.

Well, maybe. But if you've got one IDE that's great at Java and another that's great at Python, what do you get when you combine them in this way? Do you get one IDE that's great at both Java and Python? Or do you get an IDE that's kind of average, limited by the protocol such that it can't do anything as well as the individual tools did?

[Ananace]

Well, maybe. But if you've got one IDE that's great at Java and another that's great at Python, what do you get when you combine them in this way? Do you get one IDE that's great at both Java and Python? Or do you get an IDE that's kind of average, limited by the protocol such that it can't do anything as well as the individual tools did?

That sounds a little cynical, there's absolutely nothings stopping your IDE from just continuing to use the same Java/Python parser that it's always had just because they also add support for generic languages through a language server.

[littleowl]

Microsoft isn't the only party involved here. They are but one of three parties. The other two parties are Red Hat and Codenvy. Do you really think Red Hat would be working with Microsoft to create a proprietary technology for Microsoft? No.

Just two now, Red Hat has bought Codenvy.

[bitman]

Well, maybe. But if you've got one IDE that's great at Java and another that's great at Python, what do you get when you combine them in this way? Do you get one IDE that's great at both Java and Python? Or do you get an IDE that's kind of average, limited by the protocol such that it can't do anything as well as the individual tools did?

Intellij IDEA is great for java. PyCharm is great for python. Installing Python plugin (PyCharm essentially) in Intellij IDEA gives me IDE that is great in both languages.