From: Chris Pine <nemo@...>
Date: 2003-03-22T00:44:29+09:00
Subject: Re: Proposal: new operator: '<-' (for assignments)

----- Original Message -----
From: "Mauricio Fern�ndez" <batsman.geo@yahoo.com>

It'd be easier to make a preprocessor to transform, say
  a <== val
into
  a.__value__=(value)

which moreover allows
 a <== val1, val2, val3
which might be useful.
----------------------------

Yep, that would work, too.  The "interpreter" I was advocating was little
more that a preprocessor, anyway.  :)

Either way (preprocessor or interpreter), Phil may want some totally
different syntax from what he showed the list, if he doesn't have to hammer
it straight into the Ruby interpreter anymore.

So often, thought, these things start small, then grow and grow... Depending
on the situation, it might be easier in the long run to write a simple
interpreter now, rather than switch over to one later when preprocessing is
getting too hairy.  Preprocessing is basically translation from one language
to another.  Eventually, interpretation becomes easier to work with than
translation, which is why Ruby is interpreted rather than translated to C
and then compiled.

Ultimately it's specific to the situation; only Phil can say which is more
appropriate.

Chris