From: Bob Alexander <bobalex@...>
Date: 2002-03-13T01:26:44+09:00
Subject: Some potential RCRs

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Here are a few thing I am considering submitting as RCRs. I'm looking =
for comments to help decide whether to make them official, so please let =
know what you think is good and bad about these...


------------------
"p" method should return its last argument, unconverted.

(It currently returns nil.) This would allow it to be more conveniently =
inserted into expressions during debugging:
E.g. in
   a =3D d + b / c
To quickly see what the subexpression (b / c) is producing
   a =3D a + p(b / c)
or
   a =3D d + p("***** b / c:", b / c)


------------------
A format specification in "printf"-type formats that inserts the result =
of applying "inspect" to the argument.

E.g. "Value of x: %r\n" % x.

This is more convenient than typing ".inspect". There are some other =
reasons why it is better to specify inspectness in the format rather =
than pre-evaluating inspectness in the argument. One is for specifying =
logging messages: the inspect string need not be computed if the logging =
message is suppressed. I used %r in my example only because it is used =
in Python for the same functionality, which I find useful. Python uses =
%r because their equivalent of "inspect" is "repr" -- for Ruby a =
different letter might be better. Too bad %i is already overloaded for =
integers!


------------------
A "println" method.

Would work just like "print" but would tack on a newline. Yeah, I know =
it doesn't seem much different than just coding "\n" as a final =
parameter, but I find "println" more pleasing and more self-describing


------------------
String#count should also accept Regexp as argument.

Would extend the power of this method.


------------------
Dir methods that produce directory entries should never produce "." and =
"..".

I see no use in producing "." and "..", and it is a nuisance having to =
explicitly filter them out (usually after forgetting to do it and =
getting a program error!) Also, seems a tad non-portable.


------------------
The built-in Mutex object should be nestable.

Acquiring a mutex in nested contexts in the same thread should not cause =
deadlock. It doesn't seem appropriate for a language at Ruby's level to =
have a non-nestable Mutex, and it is a pothole for program errors.


------------------
A "message" parameter for "abort".

Coding

    abort("the program did something bad")

would print the message before terminating.

Note:
Python does something kind of nifty in this area which I like:
   exit()  exits with code=3D0
   exit(22) exits with code=3D22
   exit("bad bad") prints "bad bad" and exits with code=3D1
I think this would be a good thing in Ruby too (hey, the Python camp =
seems to be very busy lately copying Ruby's good ideas!)


------------------
Enhanced ObjectSpace finalizer operations

I started a separate thread on this: "Thoughts on WeakRefs and =
ObjectSpace".


Bob
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<BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Here are a few thing I am considering =
submitting as=20
RCRs. I'm looking for comments to help decide whether to make them =
official, so=20
please let know what you think is good and bad about =
these...</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>------------------</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>"p" method should return its last =
argument,=20
unconverted.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>(It currently returns nil.) This would =
allow it to=20
be more conveniently inserted into expressions during =
debugging:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>E.g. in</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>&nbsp;&nbsp; a =3D&nbsp;d + b / =
c</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>To quickly see what the subexpression =
(b / c) is=20
producing</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>&nbsp;&nbsp; a =3D a + p(b / =
c)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>or</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>&nbsp;&nbsp; a =3D&nbsp;d&nbsp;+ =
p("***** b / c:", b=20
/ c)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial =
size=3D2>------------------</FONT></DIV></FONT><FONT=20
face=3DArial size=3D2></DIV>
<DIV>A format specification in "printf"-type formats that inserts the =
result of=20
applying "inspect" to the argument.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>E.g. "Value of x: %r\n" % x.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>This is more convenient than typing ".inspect". There are some =
other=20
reasons why it is better to specify inspectness in the format rather =
than=20
pre-evaluating&nbsp;inspectness in the argument. One is =
for&nbsp;specifying=20
logging messages: the inspect string&nbsp;need not be computed if the =
logging=20
message is suppressed. I used %r in my example only because it is used =
in Python=20
for the same functionality, which I find useful. Python uses %r because =
their=20
equivalent of "inspect" is "repr" -- for Ruby a different letter might =
be=20
better. Too bad %i is already overloaded for integers!</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>------------------</FONT></DIV>
<DIV>A "println" method.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>Would work just like "print" but would tack on a newline. Yeah, I =
know it=20
doesn't seem much different than just coding&nbsp;"\n" as a final =
parameter, but=20
I find&nbsp;"println" more pleasing and more self-describing</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>------------------</FONT></DIV>
<DIV>String#count should also accept Regexp as argument.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>Would extend the power of this method.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>------------------</FONT></DIV>
<DIV>Dir methods that produce directory entries should never produce "." =
and=20
"..".<BR></DIV>
<DIV>I see no use in producing "." and "..", and it is a nuisance having =
to=20
explicitly filter them out (usually after forgetting to do it and =
getting a=20
program error!) Also, seems a tad non-portable.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>------------------</FONT></DIV>
<DIV>The built-in Mutex object should be nestable.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>Acquiring a mutex in nested contexts in the same thread should not =
cause=20
deadlock. It doesn't seem appropriate for a language at Ruby's level to =
have a=20
non-nestable Mutex, and it is a pothole for program errors.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>------------------</FONT></DIV></DIV>
<DIV>A "message" parameter for "abort".</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>Coding</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; abort("the program did something bad")</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>would print the message before terminating.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>Note:</DIV>
<DIV>Python does something kind of nifty in this area which I =
like:</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;&nbsp; exit()&nbsp; exits with code=3D0</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;&nbsp; exit(22) exits with code=3D22</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;&nbsp; exit("bad bad") prints "bad bad" and exits with =
code=3D1</DIV>
<DIV>I think this would be a good thing in Ruby too (hey, the Python =
camp seems=20
to be very busy lately copying Ruby's good ideas!)</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>------------------</FONT></DIV></DIV>
<DIV>Enhanced ObjectSpace finalizer operations</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>I started a separate thread on this: "Thoughts on WeakRefs and=20
ObjectSpace".</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>Bob</DIV></DIV></FONT></BODY></HTML>

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