Keynote
Experience with Tcl/Tk and Some Alternatives
Brian Kernighan, Bell Laboratories

There are really only two problems in computing: machines are too hard to use, and they are too hard to program. People who build graphical user interfaces get to share the pain on both of these accounts.

During the past five years, I have worked on nearly a dozen graphical user interface projects, building a variety of interfaces with both mainstream and unknown tools, and in several cases creating versions of the same interface with alternative tools.

Although it is not perfect, Tcl/Tk remains my personal favorite, the tool of choice for such programming. In this talk, I will discuss experiences with Tcl/Tk and alternatives, and illustrate some things that work well and a few that don't. I will also attempt to draw some lessons for designers of languages, systems, and user interfaces.

Brian Kernighan is the head of the Computing Structures Research Department at Bell Laboratories where his current research activities are in user interfaces and application-oriented programming languages. He has worked in the areas of combinatorial optimization, design automation, document preparation, and programming languages. He is the co-author of several computer science books, including The Elements of Programming Style, Software Tools, and The C Programming Language. Brian received his PhD from Princeton.

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