[Modules] Name space semantics was: Re: Some of my thoughts

Tim Rowledge tim at sumeru.stanford.edu
Fri Aug 17 01:22:22 UTC 2001


Whilst thinking about the implementation details, don't get stuck on
mangling symbols. There is no real need to insist on message selectors
being Symbols; the VM either can or could work with any objects that are
suitably unique (though even that could probably be waived if we want)
including objects that encapsulate the name of the message that we are
used to and package/environment/whatever information.

The bit I see as tricky is the mirrored pair of requirements to do with
deciding which Message is meant and when to change (package boundary
etc) and the tool stuff to make it so easy to use that no-one objects.
Envy is _not_ the answer here... 

Surely we don't want some convoluted system that provides for intricate
exceptions (hey, I know a package I rely on has its own form of #fobler:
but I want the #foobler: that I know {read, think} the base system uses,
so I'm going to do 
	myThing {foobler:.Packages.Base}
and so on) and then a subpackage that does the inverse .... I'm sure you
can work it out. If you rely on a package, _rely_ on it. 

tim





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