[MLton] MLton in the future

[Matthew Fluet]

> I am considering choosing SML and MLton for a new side project where I
> will build a framework for local search optimisation algorithms. I
> have previously written such a framework in OCaml during my PhD
> studies. Now that I am going to more or less reimplement everything,
> it is a good opportunity for me to try out MLton and its whole-program
> optimisation philosophy.
>
> However, when I look at the (latest) MLton release cycles and the
> mailing lists it seems to me that the MLton development is not very
> active anymore (3 years between the two latest releases, rather low
> svn activity, not a very active user/developer list). So I am a bit
> concerned of choosing MLton due to this. As performance will be
> essential for my application, falling back on another (of the current
> ones) SML implementation in the future is not appealing.
>
> So I would like to ask here if my concerns are justified? Or can I
> choose MLton and be confident that its development will continue,
> possible bugs be fixed, and perhaps even that new features and
> optimisations will be implemented?

I am certainly interested in seeing MLton's development continue.  I'm
hoping to recruit some BS and MS students to work on MLton-related
projects in the future.

Given MLton's robustness, it has been fairly easy to keep up with
reported bugs.  So, I wouldn't imagine that you would have any
significant issues on that front.