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From: Lawrence D'Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid>
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Subject: Re: Ichbiah 2022 compiler mode
Date: Fri, 6 Sep 2024 00:58:05 -0000 (UTC)
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On Thu, 5 Sep 2024 19:03:22 -0500, Randy Brukardt wrote:

> Keyword "variable" is needed to declare variables (we do not want the
> worst option to be the easiest to write, as it is in Ada).

One language idea I toyed with years ago was that

    «name» : «type»;

declared a variable, while

    «name» : «type» := «value»;

declared a constant. So, no initialization of variables at declaration 
time allowed.

> (10) Variable-returning functions are introduced.

Is this like updater functions in POP-11, or “setf” in Lisp? So you have a 
procedure

    set_var(«var», «new value»)

which is declared to be attached to «var» in some way, such that when you 
write

    «var» := «new_value»

this automatically invokes set_var?