Prefix, not postfix Jorgen Schaefer (11 Apr 2006 19:24 UTC)
|
||
Re: Prefix, not postfix
Per Bothner
(11 Apr 2006 19:54 UTC)
|
||
Re: Prefix, not postfix
Marc Feeley
(11 Apr 2006 21:18 UTC)
|
||
(missing)
|
||
(missing)
|
||
(missing)
|
||
Re: Prefix, not postfix
Ed Watkeys
(13 Apr 2006 03:00 UTC)
|
||
Re: Prefix, not postfix
Donovan Kolbly
(11 Apr 2006 21:27 UTC)
|
||
Re: Prefix, not postfix
John Cowan
(11 Apr 2006 21:35 UTC)
|
||
Re: Prefix, not postfix
Jorgen Schaefer
(11 Apr 2006 21:43 UTC)
|
Prefix, not postfix Jorgen Schaefer 11 Apr 2006 19:24 UTC
Hello! The SRFI specifies a new kind of datatype, the keyword. Any symbol can be turned into a keyword by adding a colon to the end. I think this is a bad idea. Everywhere else in Scheme, I can recognize the kind of an object by looking at the start of the name, never by looking at the end. Postfix is only used as a convention to signify a mutating operator or predicates. But in that case, the kind of object doesn't change due to the postfix syntax - it's still an operator. I don't think that the argument put forth in the SRFI, according to which a postfix colon is used because that does not conflict with R5RS, is a good reason to decrease consistency and readability. The only remaining argument I can think of in favor of the postfix colon is that it's more natural to write "foo: bar" - but the same way Scheme prefers to use prefix math operators for consistence instead of using the "more natural" infix syntax, I think using ":foo bar" is more consistent with the rest of Scheme. The ":foo" syntax has precedence in many Scheme implementations, as stated in the SRFI itself. If we want to standardize on a keyword datatype and syntax, we should make it consistent with Scheme, and not just "compatible with R5RS". Semi-long posting, short summary: If we do indeed have to standardize keywords, please use prefix colons. :-) Regards, -- Jorgen -- ((email . "xxxxxx@forcix.cx") (www . "http://www.forcix.cx/") (gpg . "1024D/028AF63C") (irc . "nick forcer on IRCnet"))