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From:	Bengt Kleberg <bengt@softwell.se>
Message-Id: <200001031544.QAA28543@trillian.softwell.se>
To:	rc@hawkwind.utcs.toronto.edu
Subject: Re: rc futures 
Date:	Mon, 3 Jan 2000 10:46:06 -0500

Greetings,

After a (too long) delay I offer my comments to the rc-2.0 wish-list.
Points where I have no comment are just left out.

> 2. Compile-time limit on `;' separated commands in a line.

Good idea, it would be nice to remove built-in limits, and just leave te hard ones (RAM/swap space).

> 4. `shift' only works on `$*'.

Yes, please add this to the documentation. I needed it a few days ago (last millenium :-), and could
not invent it.

> 8 & 9, 12. Strange handling of parentheses.

Since my misunderstanding of while () {} probably started this thread I would like to add that I now
understand that syntax errors from
while (()) {}
is a feature and not a bug. However, it is confusing and should merit a comment in the documentation
of while/if/for

> 10. `$PATH' versus `$path'.

Please let $path inherit from $PATH, and also assigments to $path be reflected back to $PATH. I would much prefer to
think of them as always having the same value.

> 11. `.' should search `$path'.

Actually, I do not think so. I think it should not.

> 16. Make `*' match files beginning with `.'

Please do not.

> 17. Improved error reporting

Yes. A error report like
script-name:line-number 'error'
would be very useful.

> 19. Discard autoconf and automake.

Yes please. If this is 'a waste of time' for skilled programmers, consider using my time (it can be wasted upon such activities :-)

> 20. ~ expansion.

If absolutly neccessary, please make it a compile time option.

> 21. Add a command line flag that turns off free carets.

If I remember correctly this is a compile time option already. That is surely enough.

> 23. Dynamically load readline only when rc

Please do not. How about suggesting 2 rc shells in the documentation instead? One for scripts, and one for interactive use.
The latter with readline, the former without.

> 25. Gert-Jan Vons complains that using `=' in a command's arguments

It is ok as it is. I have gotten used to it.

> 26. Better testing.

Very good idea. Any thing in particular you want a test for?

> 27. Smaller, faster, cheaper.

Make this #1.


And finally, for my personal enjoyment: How about re-introducing

if not {}

as an alternative to

} else { }

I have 1 need for this, and I really think it would be nice to have both possiblities.


Best Wishes, Bengt
===============================================================
Everything aforementioned should be regarded as totally private
opinions, and nothing else. bengt@softwell.se
``His great strength is that he is uncompromising. It would make
him physically ill to think of programming in C++.''