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From: mark@alberta.UUCP (Mark Green)
Newsgroups: net.cog-eng
Subject: Keyword parameters in programming languages
Message-ID: <186@alberta.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 9-Apr-84 19:38:00 EST
Article-I.D.: alberta.186
Posted: Mon Apr  9 19:38:00 1984
Date-Received: Thu, 12-Apr-84 05:18:42 EST
Organization: U. of Alberta, Edmonton, AB
Lines: 16

Two observation on the use of keyword parameters in programming languages:
  
1)  The format of parameters passed to applications programs in both UNIX
    and CDC-NOS are essentially the same, so I don't see what the point
    is.  In fact most (if not all) CDC supplied programs use keyword
    parameters, and have since at least 1971 (the first time I used a CDC6400).
  
2)  A number of object oriented languages such as Smalltalk and EDL allow
    this form of parameter passing.  The original version of the PROSYS user
    interface prototyping system (essentially a programming environment for
    EDL) prompted the user for parameters whenever an object was created.
    The new version of PROSYS will have a graphical editor that will provide
    an even nicer environment.  Details on both EDL and PROSYS can be found
    in the Graphics Interface'82 proceedings.
  
Mark Green - Department of Computing Science, University of Alberta