the := operator (affectation)

[Richard Gaskin]

Mark Wieder wrote:
> Richard-
> 
> Wednesday, June 22, 2005, 1:56:20 PM, you wrote:
> 
> RG> A single-token assignment operator would be a nice OPTION.  Those who
> RG> prefer the traditional form would never need to deal with it, while
> RG> those of us who are comfortable with it could use it.  I see no downside
> RG> and many upsides as Rev expands the range of people it might appeal to....
> 
> I do. An IDE switch to allow one syntax or the other would be
> allowable (IMO) but having both permitted at once would be even more
> confusing for someone new coming into xtalk. 

Right -- teach newbies things that will appeal to newbies.
And teach pros things that will appeal to pros.

For the record, I'm not particularly invested in that particular 
assignment operator, just playing with the general idea of allowing a 
single-token alternative as some other xTalks have done.

If the primary concern is having too many ways to do things, as Dan 
pointed out that cat's been out of the bag for years.  I never teach 
bother explaining the externals API to newcomers to programming, and I 
never fail to mention it when discussing Rev with seasoned pros.

Forgive my enthusiasm, but I feel there's enough here for everyone, and 
the problem isn't necessarily that a tool has a broad scope but merely 
how one reveals that scope when teaching it.

-- 
  Richard Gaskin
  Fourth World Media Corporation
  ___________________________________________________________
  Ambassador at FourthWorld.com       http://www.FourthWorld.com