From: Trans <transfire@...>
Date: 2005-02-02T02:50:43+09:00
Subject: Re: Binding precedence for first symbol arguments

Thanks martin,

Perhaps Kevin Rutherford is right. But her present such a limited use
case: a single true/false parameter. On the end of the spectrum is most
commonly used form of method invocation in the world, the Shell. And it
does not follow this. If it did we's have many more tools with names
like:

gzip
ungzip
gzip_force
ungzip_force
gzip_help
gzip_test
gzip_verbose
ungzip_verbose
gzip_force_verbose
ungzip_force_verbose
....
gzip_force_verbose_recusrvie_noname
....

Symbolic flags go a long way toward easing use for human beings. The
conditions they form within the function, while perhaps less efficient
in exectution, are not, as suggested, antithetical to good programming
as they have an avantage in creating DRYer code.

T