Complete control

The result of Patrick’s efforts is a programming language that offers the same functionality of other languages but with fewer lines of programming code. A simple log-in page and user–management system, for example, can take upwards of 80 lines of PHP, while a similar Croma program will take just 10 lines.

By using an integrated Web server, Croma also enables programmers to develop their sites intuitively and with complete control over the final product. “Not all of the techniques I’ve incorporated are new”, notes Patrick, “but with Croma, I wanted to ensure all these features were integrated into the language from the start rather than being tacked on as an afterthought”.

When it comes to programming, UNIX is the best option. So the fact that the Mac is UNIX–based is an advantage. The Mac also comes with Xcode, which is easily one of the best integrated development environments available for any software writing task.

— Patrick Collison

His PowerBook hasn’t simply helped in the creation of Croma, but in the presentation of the idea as well. Patrick says that when he’s called upon to give a talk on the subject, he can be confident that, whatever the setting, his computer will be able to operate with the AV display equipment available. “I’ve also bought a 23-inch Cinema Display”, he says. “It’s brilliant to be able to open and look at four different files while you’re still working on code in the browser”.

Applicable to any problem

Just as Croma has benefited from free development applications available on the Internet, Patrick wants to see his creation join other open source languages to be taken up and developed by the online community. “Once I’ve created the documentation, I hope I will be able to put Croma out there so other people can contribute to the code”, he says.

Getting this online presence is essential for Croma’s continued growth and use. Since Patrick does not have a big team of developers working for him, it is impossible otherwise to keep up–to–date with new challenges for the language, or to ensure everyone has the most up–to–date version.

Croma may have a clear part to play in the Web design arena, but Patrick is confident it will be taken up for other purposes. “From the outset, I’ve tried to design a language that is applicable to any problem”, he says. “Unlike existing LISP dialects, I’ve tried to make it inter–operate with everyday environments. But it will still do day–to–day programming work”.

Sharing ideas

Certainly Croma has already generated interest — not least through the recognition it received at the European Young Scientist of the Year Award Ceremony, held in Moscow in September 2005. “It was a great experience to attend the event”, says Patrick. “I’ve kept in contact with a number of people I met there — judges, other contestants and so on. I had an hour–long conversation with someone from the University of Warsaw — you don’t usually get such an opportunity to meet such a diverse body of people”.

Patrick has also presented his new language to an internal conference at IBM, while the 2005 LISP International Conference held at Stanford University, California, gave him the opportunity to share his ideas with other LISP experts. Gradually, he is generating more interest in what Croma can do – interest that will undoubtedly bloom when he releases the source code and opens the project to the online community.

Since he became a Mac user, many of Patrick’s family and friends have also invested in Apple technology. Indeed, he sees interest in Macs growing for use with programming language work. When he attended the 2005 LISP International Conference at Stanford, he found that the majority of developers were Mac–based.

“Macs are very much in the dominant position when it comes to development work and it’s not hard to see why”, he says. “From every point of view, they are the best platform available. The smart developers are using Macs”.