[REBOL] rebol weak points (i think) Re:(2)
From: rishi:picostar at: 9-Sep-2000 19:12
no. The Math/Pie you have created is an instance variable not a static
variable. It is associated with an instance of the class, not the class
itself. A static variable means that there is a single copy of this variable
associated with class itself. You do not need to instantiate a class to use
static variable. For example:
make-circle: make func [
radius
/local blah-blah-blah
/static num_circles ;let's say this is how you create static var.
] [
num_circles: num_circles + 1 ;this may not be correct but you get the
idea...
return make object! [
;object code goes here
]
]
small-circle: make-math(2)
large-circle: make-math(100)
print make-circle/num-circles ;this should hypothetically print out 2
print num-circles ;should print error
Unfortunately, it would not make sense to add a static option the way I have
done it since not all functions return objects.
Anyway, the fact that rebol does not have static variables and static
functions is no big deal. It was probably a concious decision not to include
it.
The main advantage of having static variables would be to prevent name
collisions and to group variables/functions that act on a class (not an
object) together for use in a more natural way.
The main disadvantage of having static variables is that perhaps it is an
unnecessary complication. But I don't think so. Maybe because I come from
java/javascript background. I'm still wondering though if there is a way to
have static variables that I don't know.
Regardless, the main problem that I wonder about is if rebol is suited for
modular programming where people reuse other people's functions/code. Since
everything is either global or local, it seems as though it would be
unnatural to use rebol in this way. Java has packages and stuff...perhaps I
am not thinking straight and have too much java in my blood (which I have
been doing to much of lately and finally got sick of all the abstractions
that got in the way of doing simple stuff!!)
Rishi
