using RegularExpressions for matching (was Re: deficience in Squeak)

Hannes Hirzel hannes.hirzel.squeaklist at bluewin.ch
Wed Dec 3 08:31:40 UTC 2003


Andrew C. Greenberg wrote:

> Here's where I came out on all of that.  Regex is useful only because it 
> is: 

(i) concise;

(ii) powerful; and

(iii) very fast.

It is a lot like
> BitBlt in that regard, certainly like string searches, all of which are 
> Squeak primtiives.  Regex won't be useful in Squeak, certainly not in 
> the tools, unless it is powerfully fast, like a string search.
> 
> rePlugin offers significantly more power (full Perl5) at excellent speed 
> than any other regex I have seen.  It is strong, well-tested and robust.
> 

For me this arguments are really convincing. The plugin could even be 
included in the VM. A fast Regex package is somehow considered a 
standard asset of languages comparable in aim to Squeak.
On the other side if we are going include m17n as well perhaps
a Squeak only solution would be preferrable even if it is slow.

Hannes





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