Posting this here instead of in the github syntax issue because it is pure flamebait:

While on the topic of named ends, why not add to the list of syntax to consider the classic <my-start> body ... </my-end> for naming source blocks which is used by well over 80% of all digital source code in existence and is familiar to well over 50% of software developers? It would cut out the need for the use of begin and end altogether!

Oh sure, then programs will look like this all the time: <module> <define> <f/> <lambda> <parameters><x/></parameters> <if> <test><x/></test> <then>1</then> <else>2</else> </if> </lambda> </define> <f><yes/></f> <f><no/></f> </module>

btw I have this implemented already, this is a working example in a language that I called “xml-exp”

On the plus side: there are no parentheses.

nice, then it’s half way to being able to pass pass the proposed criteria for #lang inclusion!

Better yet, if we used xml-exp then languages like https://github.com/AlexKnauth/musicxml could be implemented top to bottom in a homogeneous surface syntax!

(for any passers by: I am parodying my own arguments about s-exps)

Both my musicxml library and the xml-exp language use the txexpr and txexpr-stxparse libraries, and they use syntax objects of X-Expressions to provide source locations for errors in the code