[self-interest] Re: Grammar changes - comments?

[Stefan Matthias Aust]

>Using the "." for resends was a very unfortunate decision, and
>your idea to replace it with "$" is a good one. I had suggested
>using "::" 

I know.  Perhaps it's a matter of personal taste.

printString = (parent::printString + '()')
-vs-
printString = (parent$printString + '()')

IMHO, the first variant looks more like an assignment.  Furthermore, I'd
like to reserve :: to introduce emtpy keywords.  They might to turn out to
be useful.  I don't know.  What an empty keyword is?  Look at this...

object fooBar: 'hi' : 12 : whatever.

currently, one would have to write

object fooBar: 'hi' _: 12 _: whatever.


>since several other languages already use that for
>similar purposes and Java (and Beta, in a negative way) showed
>how important it is to have familiar elements in the syntax.

Which is a very valid argument to consider... But as Self already looks
very strange to the masses I don't think that using "::" would make a big
difference :-)


bye
--
Stefan Matthias Aust  //  Bevor wir fallen, fallen wir lieber auf.