[REBOL] Re: On list! inconsistency [was Re: WYSIWYG programming]
From: jeff:rebol at: 30-Oct-2000 5:54
Howdy, Joel:
[...lists are the black sheep of series...]
> > It's a question of docs.
>
> No. It's a matter of design. Someone CHOSE to put the
> burden on the user instead of the implementor.
> Implementing list mutations as a "black sheep" was a
> design/implemention decision.
>
> Yes, all such decisions should be clearly stated, but
> clearly stating the choice is different from addressing
> whether the choice benefits or costs the user.
Okay, we're sorry that the design decisions concerning lists
have not been clearly stated (documented). :)
We're not purposefully trying to burden the user by the
implementation of lists in REBOL, though you make a case
that we are. Lists are put in for a specific type of
application that expects to work with a large set of data
upon which it does many insertions and removals, but
relatively few searches. Lists were included because it was
felt this would be a necessary tool for some people.
Also, there may be a deeper reason for lists having absolute
indexing (beyond their implementaion), but I don't know it.
I'll ask around when I get the chance.
Cheers--
-jeff
