Re: Could someone clarify how math functions work?

[Ray Andrews <rayandrews@eastlink.ca>]

On 12/20/2014 11:37 AM, Bart Schaefer wrote:
> [> workers]
>
> On Dec 19,  9:35am, Peter Stephenson wrote:
> }
> } I'm wondering, however, if we can do a bit better by strengthening the
> } warnings against variant syntax --- whose sole role appears to be to
> } confuse the user --- and provide some kind of good practice guide for
> } complex syntax such as functions, loops, etc.  But would anyone read it?
I would.  OTOH why is variant syntax there at all?  What does it 
accomplish *but* the confusion of the user?  The culture seems to be one 
in which it is considered good that one can do things in 50 different 
ways.  I understand that in Python culture they make a virtue out of 
saying that there is only ever *one* way to do whatever it is that you 
are doing, which means that reading Python must be a breeze because one 
does not have to learn 50 dialects of the language. That's probably 
going too far IMHO, tho.

Speaking as the newcomer here, the agony of learning zsh is that it is 
so encrusted with these ancient confusions and obscure gotchas and 
exceptions and variations and deep mysteries going back to the Chaos 
before the World was created.  Supposing that the goal was to rid the 
shell of pointless obscurities rather than adding another layer of 
safety nets to help one cope with them?

Kill variant syntax! Less is more.  What's that saying: "The code is 
perfect, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is 
nothing more to take away."  Simplicity and clarity matter. Burn, burn, 
burn.

rant rant rant ;-)