[E-Lang] down with `define' (was: newbie syntax: picayune points from a prejudiced programmer)

[Mark S. Miller]

At 03:04 AM Friday 3/2/01, Tyler Close wrote:
>> The other thing all these purifications of the language
>> make me yearn for is
>> the "declare" syntax.
>
>I thought the "def name;" syntax won?

As MarcS also clarifies later, the issue is "declare <name>" as a *forward* 
declaration of <name>, in order to bring <name> into scope before it's 
defined, in order to make easier the writing of recursively defined and 
mutually recursively defined objects.  The awkwardness of the section where 
Walnut explains how to do recursive definition in today's E 
("Self-referencing objects" in 
http://www.skyhunter.com/marcs/ewalnut.html#SEC12 ) makes clear that we have 
a problem.

I proposed http://www.eros-os.org/pipermail/e-lang/2001-February/004516.html 
as a solution.  Dean's excellent response 
http://www.eros-os.org/pipermail/e-lang/2001-February/004520.html , which I 
should have responded to at the time, convinced me that my solution was 
worse than the problem.  (So instead, I just dropped the thread.  Sorry.)  
Currently, I don't believe we have any viable proposals for this one on the 
table.  Suggestions solicited.  Dean's message also contains a sketch of a 
possible approach towards a solution.


        Cheers,
        --MarkM