functions, list, default parameters

[John Ladasky]

On Nov 1, 7:30 pm, Lawrence D'Oliveiro <l... at geek-
central.gen.new_zealand> wrote:
> In message <20101021235138.609fe... at geekmail.INVALID>, Andreas Waldenburger
> wrote:
>
> > While not very commonly needed, why should a shared default argument be
> > forbidden?
>
> Because it’s safer to disallow it than to allow it.

That's why Java is the way that it is, right?  It tries -- too hard,
some would say -- to "protect" the programmer from making "mistakes."