[REBOL] Re: variable scopes and recursive func
From: berniegs::prodigy::net at: 12-Apr-2005 13:38
Hi,
I agree with you Michael. The subject of Rebol scopes, contexts,
and bindings for me is the single most unclear and confusing
aspect of Rebol. Using Rebol requires that a programmer become
familiar with several new and innovative features that can be
quite confusing, even, or maybe especially, for programmers with
a lot of experience using other languages.
For example, Rebol's parsing is one of these powerful, but
unfamiliar features to those of us steeped in regular
expressions. But
I've found that with a lot of practice and with the steadily
improving documentation on the subject, that I can get more
parsing challenges mastered that I could at first. But with
Rebol's context and binding concepts, I'm afraid that I'm no
farther along in my understanding than I was when I first
started several years ago. I just can't find any documentation
on this important Rebol feature that takes into account the fact
that I've never encountered anything like it in any of the
dozens of languages that I've worked with before. And now, with
important new features like Rebol/Services coming out that
depend heavily on an understanding of contexts, I'm afraid that
I'm going to be completely left behind in such areas. I think
that it's important that RT try to make a significant effort
to clarify bindings and contexts for those of us (and I don't
believe that I'm alone here) who just don't get it yet.
I hope that I'm coming across as being constructive here. I
really don't mean to sound too critical. I'm just trying to
point out that these issues aren't as clear to some of us as
some others might think, and that some further attention in the
form of documentation and maybe some in-depth tutorials would be
of great benefit to the Rebol community.
Regards,
Bernie Schneider
The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being
overwhelmed
by the tribe. To be your own man is a hard business. If you try
it, you will
be lonely often and sometimes frightened. But no price is too
high to pay
for the privilege of owning yourself.
-- Friedrich Nietzsche --
----- Original Message -----
From: "Michael Berg" <[mokkel--gmx--de]>
To: <[rebolist--rebol--com]>
Sent: Sunday, April 10, 2005 6:03 PM
Subject: [REBOL] Re: variable scopes and recursive func
================== SNIP ===================
> Just a question to somebody who might know: One of the reasons
why the
> binding mechanisms of Rebol are necessary is to make the
keywordlessness
> possible, else something like 'repeat wouldn't be possible,
right ???
> But nevertheless I think these binding issues should be one of
the first
> things to be explained to a newcomer. It is an important
property of Rebol
> and should be treated like this. If there are chances to
encounter these
> things in normal life they have to be explained appropriately
already on
> the beginning and not on some articles (Ladislavs Bindology)
or some
> sidenote in the documentation that a function changes it's
body argument.
> Without deeper glue of Rebol it's hardly to get the reason and
just simply
> using hints like using copy/deep on a block in some
circumstances is hard
> to remember and hard to explain. Thus if Rebol is like this it
should be
> put on the frontplate. ????!!!!
>
================ SNIP =======================
