Path: utzoo!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!unix.cis.pitt.edu!pitt!willett!ForthNet
From: ForthNet@willett.pgh.pa.us (ForthNet articles from GEnie)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.forth
Subject: Conditionals !
Message-ID: <2507.UUL1.3#5129@willett.pgh.pa.us>
Date: 18 Mar 91 03:27:38 GMT
Organization: (n.) to be organized.  But that's not important right now.
Lines: 54

Category 10,  Topic 4
Message 16        Sun Mar 17, 1991
B.RODRIGUEZ2 [Brad]          at 10:50 EST
 
Charles Eaker writes:

> I don't like [IF] because it puts the brackets in what will
 > sometimes be the wrong place.  In a definition would would have to
 > use
 >       [ condition [IF] ]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but my understanding is that you'd have to
use
        [ condition ] [IF]

and that the construct posted by Charles Eaker would actually have dangerous
side effects, since if the condition is true, ']' is skipped and the system
remains in interpret state.  E.g.,

        [ condition [IF] ]  blah blah blah [ELSE] R> DROP [THEN]

would go boom.

Come to think of it, this is an argument for the [IF] name, since it provides
a visual reminder -- the nested brackets, which certainly caught Charles' eye!
--of a dangerous usage.

Also, has the TC adequately documented risks such as these?

Jack Woehr writes:
 > The last meeting was dedicated to TAKING THINGS OUT of the Standard
 > as much as possible. ... EVERY member of the TC wants things
 > REMOVED.

Hmmm.  Every member wants things removed, but with every meeting, it gets
bigger and bigger.  What's wrong with this picture?

Re. the last meeting, all I've heard from it so far (I'm still waiting to
download the BASIS) is these new conditionals, and the new search order words.
Hardly "taking things out."

Maybe if everyone started agitating to put things in, the BASIS would get
smaller?  :-)

- Brad
 Brad Rodriguez        | brad%candice@maccs.uucp      (God willing)
 B.RODRIGUEZ2 on GEnie | brad%candice@maccs.dcss.mcmaster.ca
 "Shoes for industry!" | bradford@maccs.dcss.mcmaster.ca  (archaic)

-----
This message came from GEnie via willett.  You *cannot* reply to the author
using e-mail.  Please post a follow-up article, or use any instructions
the author may have included (USMail addresses, telephone #, etc.).
Report problems to: dwp@willett.pgh.pa.us _or_ uunet!willett!dwp