Proposal for adding symbols within Python

[Pierre Barbier de Reuille]

Steven D'Aprano a écrit :
> On Sun, 13 Nov 2005 10:11:04 +0100, Pierre Barbier de Reuille wrote:
> 
> 
>>The problem, IMHO, is that way you need to declare "symbols"
>>beforehands, that's what I was trying to avoid by requiring a new syntax.
> 
> 
> ???
> 
> If you don't declare your symbols, how will you get the ones that you want?
> 
> I don't understand why it is a problem to declare them first, and if it is
> a problem, what your solution would be.
> 

Well, just as Python do not need variable declaration, you can just
*use* them ... in dynamic languages using symbols, they just get created
when used (i.e. have a look at LISP or Ruby).

> [snip]
> 
> 
>>Well, I don't think enumarated objects ARE symbols. I can see two
>>"problems" :
>> 1 - in the implementation, trying to compare values from different
>>groups raises an error instead of simply returning "False" (easy to fix ...)
> 
> 
> As you say, that's easy to fix.
> 
> 
>> 2 - You have to declare these enumerable variables, which is not
>>pythonic IMO (impossible to fix ... needs complete redesign)
> 
> 
> Are you suggesting that the Python language designers should somehow
> predict every possible symbol that anyone in the world might ever need,
> and build them into the language as predefined things?
> 
> If that is not what you mean, can you explain please, because I'm confused.
> 

Well, the best I can propose is for you to read the discussion with Mike
Meyer.
He pointer out the flaws in my proposal and we're trying to precise things.

Pierre