It's funny, I thought of writing functions like that too. The only thing is, as you very appropriately point out, Rebol is very consistent in this. It's not only 'skip that this applies to, but 'pick, 'select, 'find, etc. As far as I know, every function that deals with a series, extending to words like 'insert and 'append, takes the series first, and then the modifier (whether it's an index to return, something to append or insert, a value to select on, a value to find, you get the idea). The language was obviously designed with this as a conscious choice. I'm dying to know what the reasoning was. Personally, and especially in light of Rebol's desire to be similar to a natural language, I think it feels much more natural to put the series last. For examples: English version: append a value to a series: Rebol version: append 'value 'series English version: insert a value into a series: Rebol version: insert 'value 'series English version: find a value in a series Rebol version: find 'value 'series and on and on. Could it be possible that this way is more natural to me only because I'm a native English speaker? Keith > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > Sent: Monday, September 11, 2000 9:12 PM > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: [REBOL] Rebol Tech, please answer. Two questions. Re: > > > Keith wrote: > > Why not (print skip 3 blk) instead of (print skip blk 3)? > > Here's a 'skp function that does this as an alternative to 'skip. > > >> skp: func [ > [ {Returns the series forward or backward from the current position.} > [ offset [number!] "Can be positive, negative, or zero." > [ series [series! port!] > [ ][ > [ skip series offset > [ ] > >> blk: [1 2 3 4 5 6 7] > == [1 2 3 4 5 6 7] > >> elem: skp 2 skp 3 blk > == [6 7] > > As for why it's like this, if you compare it to 'pick: > pick blk 4 > it's very similar to: > skip blk 4 > So I suggest that it seemed natural to continue it with 'skip? > > Andrew Martin > ICQ: 26227169 > http://members.ncbi.com/AndrewMartin/ > http://members.xoom.com/AndrewMartin/ > -><- >
