Re^2: The first lambda language to go mainstream ?

[ssandv]

Some searching leads one to the detail that C doesn't have true first-class functions because they aren't nestable, although GCC supports them as an extension, and also because pointer-defined functions don't close over their free variables.

• more here
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[morgon]

You can argue that C does not have first-class functions and I would agree - that was not my point.

The point I was trying to make above is that (in my opinion) having first-class functions is not enough for a language to be called a "lambda language" (meaning functional language).

Otherwise practically every current language would be a "lambda language" and the term would not be very useful.

And so I would argue that the statement about JS being the first mainsteam lambda langues is simply wrong and the question weather it was predated by Perl irrelevant.

[LanX]

> Otherwise practically every current language would be a "lambda language" and the term would not be very useful.

so whats your definition of a lambda language?

[morgon]

so whats your definition of a lambda language?

I don't want to start a long thread here so I will certainly not even try to give a definition :-)

But in the current context let's put it this way:

Languages that make extensive use of assignments and non-pure functions are certainly (at least for me) *NOT* lambda languages.