Re: PDL-P: Re: Hooks for array notation (was Re: Ramblings on "baseclass" for SV etc.)

[Dan Sugalski]

On Thu, 10 Aug 2000, Jeremy Howard wrote:

> > At 07:07 PM 8/9/00 -0400, Karl Glazebrook wrote:
> > >Dan Sugalski wrote:
> > > >
> > > > At 11:27 PM 8/9/00 +1000, Jeremy Howard wrote:
> > > > >5- Compact array storage: RFC still coming
> > > >
> > > > I hope this RFC will be "Arrays should be sparse when possible, and
> > > > compact" and just about nothing else. :)
> > > >
> > >
> > >Why?
> >
> > Because it's awfully premature to be thinking about how arrays should be
> > sparsely stored. I feel bad looking at a well thought-out RFC and going
> > "Nope, doesn't fit".
> >
> Sure. Is this obvious enough that it doesn't need an RFC at all? Basically
> the RFC would say:
> - If we have arrays, and
> - If we allow strong typing, then
> - Arrays of strongly typed variables should be sparse when possible, and
> compact

Strong typing and sparse arrays are orthogonal--no reason we shouldn't use
them if someone does:

   $foo[time]

or something of the sort. (People like huge arrays with few scalars in
them too... :)

                                        Dan