[ANN] Multimethod.py -- multimethods for Python

[Randall Hopper]

Siggy Brentrup:
 |Can you point us to a formal definition? Seems like you initially got into
 |trouble explaining it by example :)

I don't know where to find a formal definition.  Of those definitions I've
seen, I like this one best:

 http://www.deja.com/=dnc/[ST_rn=ps]/getdoc.xp?AN=464888387:
 |
 | Multimethods support runtime polymorphism on any number of arguments.

The sentence from the paper I posted a link to says the same with more verbage:

 | In object-oriented languages with multimethods (such as Common Lisp,
 | Dylan, and Cecil), the appropriate method to invoke for a message send
 | can depend on the run-time class of any subset of the message arguments,
 | rather than a distinguished receiver argument.



Aahz Maruch:
 |IOW, similar to C++-style multiple dispatch?

No, not quite.

 http://www.deja.com/=dnc/[ST_rn=ps]/getdoc.xp?AN=464888387:
 >
 > The difference between the C++ dispatch on multiple arguments and
 > languages that support 'multiple dispatch' (like Dylan) is that the
 > latter languages dispatch on the run time type of the object, whilst
 > the former dispatches on the compile time type of the object (except
 > for the object the method is attached to).

--
Randall Hopper
aa8vb at yahoo.com