[Types-sig] A challenge

[Tim Peters]

[Golden, Howard]
> I completely support this style!  I won't quibble about 'decl' vs.
> 'var', though I suggest the latter, all else being equal, since
> it has a proud heritage.

Despite that I think of "my syntax" as an abtract one, I've tried to give
one that *could* serve as a concrete syntax.  Toward that end, I
deliberately avoided "var" because we're going to need more kinds of
declarations in the future, and Guido's willingness to add a keyword is a
miracle I don't want to risk abusing <wink>.  So it was "decl" for
"declaration -- of anything whatsoever".

For example, just about everywhere I wrote

    decl x ...

so far I'd be just as happy with

    decl var x ...

Other things that are going to need declaration include type synonyms and
parameterized type declarations; e.g.,

    decl type BinaryTree(_T)   # a parameterized type
    decl typedef IntTree = BinaryTree(Int)  # a type synonym

Stuff like Java's final methods will eventually attract rabid enthusiasts
<wink> too, and decl can do *anything*.

the-miracle-that-is-delayed-definition-ly y'rs  - tim