Hammers and nails

nkuitse on 2003-02-13T18:40:15

When all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.

Evidently, this can be generalized:

When you get a nice shiny new hammer, everything looks like a nail. Even the things you pounded on with the last shiny new hammer you got. And the one before that. And the one before that. And so on. Hammers and nails everywhere, and all so shiny and new!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

My most recently acquired shiny new hammer is YAML. Earlier, it was XML. Now, entries in the lexicon for my invented language are going from something like this:

sempe

   
      gold
   
   
      
         similar to gold in appearance
         gold
      
      
         made of gold
         golden
      
   

...to something like this:

---
sempe:
   - noun: gold
   - adj:
      - a:
         - xp: similar to gold in appearance
         - gold
      - b:
         - xp: made of gold
         - golden

That's a mighty nice, shiny new hammer. And look! -- nails!