Re: Versioning info, was Re: Languages with no reserved words?

Arthur J. O'Dwyer wrote
(in article
<Pine.LNX.4.60-041.0602191404500.6482@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>):


On Sun, 19 Feb 2006 thomas.mertes@xxxxxx wrote:

randyhow...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:

Is that versioning info in the include file name?

Most of the language definitions (statements, operators, types, ... )
are defined in "seed7_05.s7i". This makes "seed7_05.s7i" special.
Without it, it would not be Seed7. A different language or a new version
of Seed7 could be defined in a another include file. So it is really a
versioning info in the include file name.

You can see it this way:
The programmer informs the interpreter (or compiler) which version
of the language he is using (Currently there is just one version).

You haven't clarified the key point for me (and I bet for Randy):

Correct. If it is a "standard" library, I don't think the name
of the header file should be impacted, regardless. this is more
of a compiler switch (/v05 or whatever). Seems strange,
especially since an update to a library could mean dozens or
hundreds of source files might need to be touched just to use
the newer rev. Assuming that the library won't change in a way
that breaks backwards compatibility (it shouldn't, that would
really be evil), then this doesn't sound like a good plan at all
to me.

A hypothetical example of good use, in C: [1]

#include <stdio_C89.h>
/* #include <stdio_C99.h> adds snprintf */

Yuck. If forced, I'd rather see
#include <stdio.h> /* always has the known goodies */
#include <stdio_c99.h> /* add in C99 extensions */

Of course, even that doesn't make a lot of sense, if the
extensions don't break existing code. It may be that Seed7 is
simply to knew to have a standard library evolved to the point
of stability (i.e it's beta), in which case this versioning
during development /might/ make some sense. If it's production
ready, then it doesn't sound like a very good plan.

I'm still wondering what this language buys me that Pascal does
not, it seems on the surface to be pretty close, but I haven't
spent hardly any time digging in. I was hoping the author might
explain that a bit.

--
Randy Howard (2reply remove FOOBAR)
"The power of accurate observation is called cynicism by those
who have not got it." - George Bernard Shaw





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