Something came to my mind.

Considering

  1) POV4 will be as close as possible to current POV,
  2) new syntax might have some (simplified) Java features,
  3) separation between front-end and back-end should be kept,
  4) need for JIT and user-callable code from within the renderer
  5) portability concerns through platforms and OSes
  6) other items evocated in the discussion

I had one thought: why not compile SDL into Java code, with runtime classes
and shipped-in POV4 stuff (like we have now with POV), and control the
generation process by the front-end, so that it is quick and transparent to
the user?
Generating Java from new SDL should be VERY simple provided we have smart
runtime classes.

If we organise and define things properly (POV4 syntax <--> Java classes,
runtime, renderer data structure&API), it would not be so much more
complicated from what we have today (even less if we are smart), but it
opens to new possibilities.

Instead of words, here is a diagram I made quickly in order to illustrate
the global approach related with this concept. It is just a sketch, nothing
more.

Bruno.

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