Using a standardized, real programming language (TCL) as a standard for configuration files was suggested something like 15 years ago. RMS shot it down, saying the GNU would never use it, that they would build their own format that all the GNU tools would use (which IIRC never materialized). The problem isn't creating a good language, it's persuading the linux community to standardize on something.
Well, TCL is not a good language for configuration files imho. I'd favor a declarative approach, because you can analyse (hence debug, check, etc) it better. Inspired by Prolog, but change the syntax. A configuration language should also avoid features like "eval", though Turing-completeness is probably desirable.
Nevertheless I agree that standardization is a problem. Not for the "linux community", but in general. Some people do not require Turing-completeness and (reasonably) do not want it. Others already have a scripting language (Lua,TCL,Python,etc) embedded, so reusing it is a good idea.
