What are the differences between Boo vs Nemerle?

Question

It looks like both of these languages are dubbed as "what C# should have been", with hygenic macros, REPL, Compiler as a Serivce (CaaS), static + duck typing (way before C# had it). Are there any major difference between these two languages, or are they just two different implementations of more-or-less the same thing? I read somewhere that Nemerle's macro service is more powerful than Boo's; is this true?

How do they compare in terms of current activity, maturity, and IDE integration?

Also, would C# 5.0's rumored CaaS feature likely render them obsolete if it comes to fruition, or are there features that will keep them relevant?

Answer 1

Adding CaaS to a language like C#, or even macros to Boo, is not nearly enough to reach Nemerle's level of metaprogramming, for which the language has been designed from the start. Algebraic types, quotation, and pattern matching are a must for abstract syntax tree processing.

Nemerle has recently reached release candidate status. Work on Nemerle 2.0 is already underway. Boo seems to be close to a similar stage, but a little behind.

Boo primarily integrates with SharpDevelop, while Nemerle has Visual Studio 2008 integration.

Answer 2

Nemerle language has many features that Boo language doesn't have. And if you need some Boo feature in Nemerle it is very easy to add it.