<HEAD><TITLE>discuss@charon: [719] in "Coldmud discussion meeting"</TITLE>
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<HR><H2>binary operators</H2>
<H3>daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Sun Mar 19 22:45:39 1995
)</H3>
<PRE>
From: crag@serial.MIT.EDU (Robert de Forest )
To: coldstuff@MIT.EDU
Date: Sun, 19 Mar 1995 21:33:07 -0600 (CST)

My only objection is that none of the experts (like Greg) have commented, as
 far as I can recall. I don't think binary operators are good philosophically
 because they are so low-level, like giving people access to cpu registers
 only not so drastic. If you need to do something with bits you should be
 doing it with lists of ints, I would guess. Of course, this argument dies
 quickly to Brandon's telnet protocol example. Having a bitfield frob is
 gonna be slow and opt_foo = opt_x.or(opt_y.or(opt_z)); does not look at
 all good compared to opt_foo = opt_x | opt_y | opt_z;

I guess I'd kinda like to add a new type, but that seems repulsive to me at
 the same time. I think it would be good for the same reason buffers are
 better than lists of ints, and bad for the reasons of complicating a server
 revered by some for its simplicity.

A bitmap or bitfield type WOULD be handy tho. Maybe what we need is a way to
 extend the server in-db? Something like what Python does (though I haven't
 looked into it in any depth). I think if we could add new types and have
 them operate as efficiently as if they had been coded into the server it
 would stretch the server's usefull lifetime drastically. Then again, I have
 no immediate suggestions on how to do this.

Alright, here's what I want. For now, go ahead and add the operators as
 proposed. In the future add operator overloading and such to the language,
 like what C++ has. Also need to make it possible to extend a running server.
 Also need transportable objects (think distribution). I guess these are lofty
 goals, but it's gonna have to happen eventually.

When we do have server extension, 'someone' should write a bitfield class, as
 well as an arbitrary-precision number class. Am I thinking too far ahead?
 Should I just calm down and go to school or read a book? Or actually produce
 something useful other than simple hacks? :)

blah blah, etc

Crag
</PRE>
