From: Trans <transfire@...>
Date: 2005-08-29T06:46:22+09:00
Subject: Re: Method behaves differently when called using #send

BUT this would BREAK old programs. Many of us have depended on the fact
that #send shoots past access controls. Now I'm not saying it's
necessarily a bad idea --certianly the ! can be used for more than just
in place modifiers, that's fine. So I'll go along if Matz really wants
to do this, but it would mean a lot of code fixes.

While I realize that my idea tends to strike people as odd, I would ask
that it at least garner some careful consideration. Please don't just
dismiss it off-the-cuff b/c at first glance it seems "radical". I know
sometimes I have some kooky ideas, but I really don't think this is one
of them.

The idea is that if we simply allow a string to follow the
receiver-dot, eg.

  a."meth"

Then this way of calling a method falls right in line with what is
wanted: a send that does not bypass access --you can't even use it
without a receiver, which is fine, b/c in that case #send would be fine
to use anyway.

I think people worry that it will open up the language to all sorts of
crazy method names, like:

  johnny."run down the street!"

Well, I doubt people really feel like typing that much, and would much
prefer to stick with common practice. Plus #send would still have to be
used on the private level, acting to deter. Even so, so what if someone
does? In the end it's their program after all. And besides who knows
what interesting possibilites it might lead to anyway. I for one have a
use case in implementing E4X:

  node."@attribute-name"

Please give it some thought. Thanks.
T.