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To:	rc@hawkwind.utcs.toronto.edu
In-Reply-To: <200005220755.JAA01026@trillian.softwell.se>
Subject: Re: ifs substitution, how should it work?
Date:	Mon, 22 May 2000 04:53:01 -0400
From:	Tim Goodwin <tjg@star.le.ac.uk>
Message-ID: <v2gAAIP1KDkLBw0A@ltsun0.star.le.ac.uk>

> i wanted
> x = asd
> and
> y = (asd)
> to mean that x and y where not identical.

No, no, no.  There is just one data type in rc: a list of strings.  You
might sometimes think you've got a string, but you haven't: you've got a
list with one element.

Now, when ifs is used, the list of strings that it holds is interpreted
as a set of characters.  I agree with you that the documentation should
be a bit clearer on this point: the man page doesn't seem to mention
anywhere what happens when ifs is a more-than-one element list.

Tim.