[E-Lang] Syntax change: reducing side-effects

[Dan Moniz]

On 2/11/01 10:13 PM, "zooko@mad-scientist.com" <zooko@mad-scientist.com>
wrote:

> Bravo!  Satisfying common programmer assumptions and thus preventing
> subtle and confusing bugs seems like a huge win to me.  (Caveat:
> I've never written a line of E, or actually I've never *executed* a
> line of E though I've written several in the margins of printouts.)
> 
> 
> Also the possibilities for optimization on the part of a
> compiler/interpreter are enticing.

I fully support anything that'll make my work easier, of course, and this,
along with the new twine data type are welcome changes.

Something I was thinking of the other day -- Eiffel-like Design by Contract
in E. Doable? If so, here's a completely not-thought-out extrapolation:
Smart Contracts in E that contract other E installations to build E
programs. Self-generating mobile code (of a sort) designed by contract
(complete with confinement, etc.).

I have to run the idea through more particular paces, and see if there are
any real places it would be valuable, but it seems, at first glance, to be
interesting.


-- 
Dan Moniz <dnm@pobox.com> [http://www.pobox.com/~dnm/]