Re: The old "Object.Method" syntax debate

["Bobby D. Bryant" <bdbryant@mail.utexas.edu>]

On Wed, 21 May 2003 10:47:38 -0500, David C. Hoos wrote:

> This was brought up in a forum regarding enhancements for Ada0X, at the
> SIG-Ada meeting last December, and the consensus was it should be done,
> so it probably will.
> 
> In defense of the charge that the objection is "vacuous," I would point
> out that that notation prevents the need to fully qualify the subprogram
> name (in the absence of use clauses) when invoking the subprogram for an
> object which is in scope.
> 
> Having worked in the .NET environment for quite a while, it's really
> nice to be able to type an object name, then the dot, and immediately
> see a little pop-up-window showing all of the available operations, and
> being able to select from the list instead of typing the full subprogram
> name.

IMO if the syntax is actually desirable (not a given, again IMO) then the
correct solution would be to design a next-generation language that uses
it _instead_ of what Ada uses, rather than cluttering up an already "big"
language with two independent layers of syntax.

-- 
Bobby Bryant
Austin, Texas