[36] in Coldmud discussion meeting

Re: clear parameters

daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Tue Nov 16 18:19:35 1993 )

To: nils mccarthy <nils@mcmuse.mc.maricopa.edu>
Cc: coldstuff@MIT.EDU
In-Reply-To: Your message of "Tue, 16 Nov 1993 15:37:37 MST."
             <9311162237.AA18919@mcmuse.mc.maricopa.edu> 
Date: Tue, 16 Nov 1993 17:04:25 -0600
From: Erik Ostrom <eostrom@pepperoncini.gac.edu>

> if a variable on the parent is changed, it would automatically be
> inherited by all the clear variables, that is the ones that had the
> same value as the old one.

I make a generic overhead lamp.  The default value for its `on'
variable is 0.  You make a child of my overhead lamp.  You turn it on.
You turn it off again.  I decide that the world needs more light, so I
set the default value to 1.  Your lamp goes on, inches from your face,
blinding you for several minutes.  (It's a bright lamp.)

Obviously there are ways to avoid this particular example.  Still, I
really don't like the assumption that because a child's value is equal
to the parent's value, the two are somehow linked.