From: oinkoink+unet@... (Bret Jolly)
Date: 2003-05-10T03:21:00+09:00
Subject: Re: MathN

Jim Freeze <jim@freeze.org> wrote in message news:<20030508085056.A8779@freeze.org>...
> Hi Bret:
> 
> Thanks for the explanation. This actually looks like
> a process that could be 'patterned' and used for
> more than just extending numerics.
> 
> Have you thought about abstracting this into a Module
> that had general use?

   Hmmm...interesting idea.  I'm not sure what the
proper generalization would be.  It is one thing to
apply this pattern to a specific problem, and another
to make a module that would apply this pattern
generally.  Methinks that applying this pattern blindly
would be pretty dangerous.  Also, I haven't come up
with any good ideas for what the API would look like.

   In fact, over the last few days I have been growing
increasingly skeptical that this pattern is even
appropriate for my application.  I should be able to
accomplish the same thing less obtrusively using
the coerce mechanism, but so far I haven't been able
to make it work, probably because I don't understand
"coerce" very well.

   Nonetheless, you've given me something interesting
to think about.  I shall go and think some more.

                 Regards, Bret