On Thu, Jan 29, 2009 at 09:00:06AM +0100, Eirik Berg Hanssen wrote:
: Jon Lang <[email protected]> writes:
:
: > So "$a -<=> $b" is equivalent to "$b <=> $a", not "-($a <=> $b)". OK.
: > I'd suggest choosing a better character for the meta-operator (one
: > that conveys the meaning of reversal of order rather than opposite
: > value); but I don't think that there is one.
:
: A transposition of the parameters of a binary operator? Well,
: transpositions are occasionally denoted by ticks:
:
: $a op' $b === $b op $a
:
: $a <=>' $b === $b <=> $a
: $a cmp' $b === $b cmp $a
: $a leg' $b === $b leg $a
:
: ... hmmm ...
:
: $a -' $b === $b - $a
: $a /' $b === $b / $a
: $a **' $b === $b ** $a
:
: ... and just to complete the madness ...
:
: $a =' $b === $b = $a
:
: ...
:
: ... transposed assignment! :-)
:
:
: Somehow I think Huffman may have something to say about this. :)
The basic problem with ' is visual and psychological. It needs to
be something more visible out front where it is noticed first, so
maybe instead of - it should be R (for reversed):
$a Rop $b === $b op $a
$a R<=> $b === $b <=> $a
$a Rcmp $b === $b cmp $a
$a Rleg $b === $b leg $a
... hmmm ...
$a R- $b === $b - $a
$a R/ $b === $b / $a
$a R** $b === $b ** $a
... and just to complete the madness ...
$a R= $b === $b = $a
There is, after all, precedent with X...X.
Hmm, I suppose an argument could be made for simplifying meta-cross
to just X...
@a X~ @b
@a X* @b
...
Trying to think of the downsides, and having trouble...
Larry
