Re: [racket-dev] interactive hack
Yes! Name your favorite brand and I'll bring it... I don't know a good beer to name, but I'm sure that the Bukowski Tavern near us has some sufficiently pricey imported craft ones. :) -- http://www.neilvandyke.org/ _ For list-related administrative tasks: http://lists.racket-lang.org/listinfo/dev
Re: [racket-dev] New error messages for *SL
On Jul 11, 2011, at 6:32 PM, Matthias Felleisen wrote: I'd much prefer eliminating such function calls. What harm do they do? You can't call any library function with the wrong number of arguments, and you can't define a zero-argument function. The only way this affects a BSL student is if the student is using a library that provides a zero-argument function, which it presumably does because the library author thinks BSL students NEED a zero-argument function. I wouldn't draw attention to the existence of zero-argument functions in the docs, but I don't see that we need to overrule the judgment of every library author who ever provides one. Stephen Bloch sbl...@adelphi.edu _ For list-related administrative tasks: http://lists.racket-lang.org/listinfo/dev
Re: [racket-dev] New error messages for *SL
Precisely. On Tue, Jul 12, 2011 at 6:10 AM, Stephen Bloch sbl...@adelphi.edu wrote: On Jul 11, 2011, at 6:32 PM, Matthias Felleisen wrote: I'd much prefer eliminating such function calls. What harm do they do? You can't call any library function with the wrong number of arguments, and you can't define a zero-argument function. The only way this affects a BSL student is if the student is using a library that provides a zero-argument function, which it presumably does because the library author thinks BSL students NEED a zero-argument function. I wouldn't draw attention to the existence of zero-argument functions in the docs, but I don't see that we need to overrule the judgment of every library author who ever provides one. Stephen Bloch sbl...@adelphi.edu _ For list-related administrative tasks: http://lists.racket-lang.org/listinfo/dev _ For list-related administrative tasks: http://lists.racket-lang.org/listinfo/dev
Re: [racket-dev] New error messages for *SL
At Mon, 11 Jul 2011 18:28:56 -0400, Guillaume Marceau wrote: On Thu, Jul 7, 2011 at 12:44 PM, Matthew Flatt mfl...@cs.utah.edu wrote: * ASL incorrectly specifies = 1 arguments required for functions and function calls (i.e., functions and call are not common syntax at that point). Stephen pointed out that function calls in BSL can invoke functions of zero arguments. You can't define such a function, but if you get it from a library, it works fine. Should I document the grammar for function calls as (name expression ...) thorough? My initial reaction was that a 0-ary function call is a syntax error, but a teachpack might extend the grammar by introducing a binding that works without arguments. That is, the 0-ary extension is part of the teachpack, not the grammar. But it seems that 0-ary function calls are not syntax errors after all (in any Recent version of DrRacket). For example, BSL accepts (define (f x) (cons)) and complain only when `f' is called. I'm not sure whether it's better to try to fix that or leave it alone (maybe it's not causing any trouble) and adapt the grammar somehow. I write somehow because calling a (not pre-)defined function with 0 argument is a syntax error. For example, BSL rejects (define (f x) (f)) as a syntax error. _ For list-related administrative tasks: http://lists.racket-lang.org/listinfo/dev
Re: [racket-dev] New error messages for *SL
I am with your initial thoughts. I find this inconsistency disturbing. I also wish to use BSL as a language that is isomorphic to the kind of mathematics that students see in middle school and high school. (I think of structs as generalized Cartesian points, i.e., something comprehensible in principle.) In this world, a zero-arity function doesn't exist. (Yes, I should introduce vectors right here and now.) If the author of a teachpack wishes to break this convention (to hell with Matthias's stupid ideas of helping kids with their math) that's fine. But such teachpacks should have to extend the grammar explicitly. -- Matthias On Jul 12, 2011, at 8:45 AM, Matthew Flatt wrote: At Mon, 11 Jul 2011 18:28:56 -0400, Guillaume Marceau wrote: On Thu, Jul 7, 2011 at 12:44 PM, Matthew Flatt mfl...@cs.utah.edu wrote: * ASL incorrectly specifies = 1 arguments required for functions and function calls (i.e., functions and call are not common syntax at that point). Stephen pointed out that function calls in BSL can invoke functions of zero arguments. You can't define such a function, but if you get it from a library, it works fine. Should I document the grammar for function calls as (name expression ...) thorough? My initial reaction was that a 0-ary function call is a syntax error, but a teachpack might extend the grammar by introducing a binding that works without arguments. That is, the 0-ary extension is part of the teachpack, not the grammar. But it seems that 0-ary function calls are not syntax errors after all (in any Recent version of DrRacket). For example, BSL accepts (define (f x) (cons)) and complain only when `f' is called. I'm not sure whether it's better to try to fix that or leave it alone (maybe it's not causing any trouble) and adapt the grammar somehow. I write somehow because calling a (not pre-)defined function with 0 argument is a syntax error. For example, BSL rejects (define (f x) (f)) as a syntax error. _ For list-related administrative tasks: http://lists.racket-lang.org/listinfo/dev _ For list-related administrative tasks: http://lists.racket-lang.org/listinfo/dev
Re: [racket-dev] interactive hack
On Tue, Jul 12, 2011 at 9:00 AM, Matthias Felleisen matth...@ccs.neu.edu wrote: On Jul 12, 2011, at 3:15 AM, Neil Van Dyke wrote: Yes! Name your favorite brand and I'll bring it... I don't know a good beer to name, but I'm sure that the Bukowski Tavern near us has some sufficiently pricey imported craft ones. :) Ask them for an Isreali import. And btw, Eli will order Coke. Or: http://www.shmaltz.com/HEBREW/index.html -- sam th sa...@ccs.neu.edu _ For list-related administrative tasks: http://lists.racket-lang.org/listinfo/dev
