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Date: Mon, 26 Jan 2004 18:24:18 -0500
From: Hyman Rosen <hyrosen@mail.com>
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Subject: Re: In-Out Parameters for functions
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Date: 2004-01-26T18:24:18-05:00
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Robert A Duff wrote:
> But this allows:
>     A(I) := F(I);
> where A is an array, and F modifies its parameter I.

You know, Java hasn't lost any business by specifying
order of evaluation. There's a lot to be said for strict
left-to-rightness, operands before operation. Under that
paradigm, the compiler would evaluate I and use it to fix
the identity of the object referred to by A(I). Then it
calls F with I as the parameter. If you said
     A(I) := F(I) + I
and F changed I, the sum would use the changed I. If you
said
     A(I) := I + F(I)
the sum would use the original I.

Of what use is lack of specificty? I think the days where
this could significant speed difference in the generated
code are long gone.