Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!utcs!mnetor!seismo!ll-xn!cit-vax!elroy!smeagol!jplgodo!steve From: steve@jplgodo.UUCP Newsgroups: net.lang.c Subject: Re: 5 Date: Thu, 10-Jul-86 15:34:38 EDT Article-I.D.: jplgodo.819 Posted: Thu Jul 10 15:34:38 1986 Date-Received: Fri, 11-Jul-86 22:49:09 EDT References: <523@ccird1.UUCP> <155@daisy.warwick.UUCP> <7000@boring.mcvax.UUCP> Distribution: net Organization: Jet Propulsion Labs, Pasadena, CA Lines: 30 In article <7000@boring.mcvax.UUCP>, jack@mcvax.uucp (Jack Jansen) writes: > > In article <155@daisy.warwick.UUCP> cudcv@daisy.warwick.ac.uk (Rob McMahon) writes: > >In article <523@ccird1.UUCP> rb@ccird1.UUCP (Rex Ballard) writes: > >> > >>if (5 >> > >... > >> > >>Is this impossible to parse? > > > >This was in BCPL, and was a GOOD IDEA. > > Yes, it is nice from a users standpoint, but if you want to define > the semantics of this operator in a reasonable way, it becomes > difficult. The only way out I see is to let expressions have *two* > values: an ordinary one, and a success/failure indication. Then you > can let the value of 'a when a is less than b. I remember seeing something about a language that > had such semantics, can't remember which one, however. Icon does just such a thing. Expressions have both a success/fail value and their "normal" value. -- ...smeagol\ Steve Schlaifer ......wlbr->!jplgodo!steve Advance Projects Group, Jet Propulsion Labs ....logico/ 4800 Oak Grove Drive, M/S 156/204 Pasadena, California, 91109 +1 818 354 3171