From: rj-cole <richard.j.cole@...>
Date: 2005-11-18T07:52:18+09:00
Subject: Re: Keyword arguments like grandma makes 'em

I'm a fan of having optional named arguments, because a lot of the time
functions have a single argument or the arguments come in a well
established order and so you don't want to name them, but other times
it makes the code easier to read if the arguments are named, so for
example if you are instanciating some component and overriding only a
few defaults.

So the problem is how to support both named and unnamed parameters. The
proposals for Ruby 2.0 are work reading.

One kind of obvious thing about the syntax, you need I think some way
to distinguish parameter names from expressions. Usually that ends up
being either commas or brackets or both. It is best to keep it concise
and obvious (ie. simple and following convention to some extent) if at
all possible. And of course you want your interpreter or bytecode to be
fast as well :)

regards,

Richard.