[cl-faq] Q: why doesn't Lisp have a Benevolent Dictator like Perl/Python/what-have-you

[Larry Clapp]

Q: Why doesn't Lisp have a Benevolent Dictator like Perl or Python or
whatever other language some sniveling whiner wants the entire
Lisp-using world to transform itself into for his or her benefit?

A: comp.lang.lisp gets this with some regularity.  After you've heard
it enough times, it all starts to sound like this (warning:
Caricatures ahead.  You have been warned.):

  "Life is sooooo much better when your language has only one
  implementation!  Everything Just Works!  No fragmentation!  I don't
  have to make any choices, it's all Just There!  I hate the thought
  of having to figure out which implementation best suits my needs; I
  want an Authority Figure to tell me what to do!  And I want it now,
  and I don't wanna pay for it, and I want the source, too!  Just like
  all my other Favorite Languages!"

In _Zen in the Martial Arts_, by Joe Hyams, Joe relates the following
story, from when he first began training with martial arts master
Bruce Lee:

  "Let me tell you a story my sifu [teacher] told me," Bruce said. "It
  is about the Japanese Zen master who received a university professor
  who came to inquire about Zen.

  "It was obvious to the master from the start of the conversation
  that the professor was not so much interested in learning about Zen
  as he was in impressing the master with his own opinions and
  knowledge.  The master listened patiently and finally suggested they
  have tea.  The master poured his visitor's cup full and then kept on
  pouring.

  "The professor watched the cup overflowing until he could no longer
  restrain himself.  'The cup is overfull, no more will go in.'

  "'Like this cup,' the master said, 'you are full of your own
  opinions and speculations.  How can I show you Zen unless you first
  empty your cup?'"

  Bruce studied [Joe's] face.  "You understand the point?"

  "Yes," [Joe] said.  "You want me to empty my mind of past knowledge
  and old habits so that I will be open to new learning."

  "Precisely," said Bruce.  "And now we are ready to begin your first
  lesson."

Lispers view the diversity of Lisp implementations as a feature, not a
bug.  Most people, if they care to look, can find an implementation
that fits their needs.  Some legitimate gripes do exist, however, and
Brad and Peter formed the CL-Gardeners project to help address them.

This[1] thread has other good points and answers.  Kent Pitman and
various others on c.l.l have answered it more than once; someone could
dig up links to their answers and include them.

-- L

[1] http://groups.google.com/group/comp.lang.lisp/msg/a86b539421de1d47