RE: [FWP] aCertainName.pm

["Larry Rosler" <lr@hpl.hp.com>]

> From: Steve Lane [mailto:sml@zfx.com]
> Sent: Wednesday, November 10, 1999 08:20
> To: Larry Rosler
> Cc: tallwine@carol.ixlabs.com; fwp@technofile.org
> Subject: Re: [FWP] aCertainName.pm
>
>
> Larry Rosler wrote:
> > If you want to be reasonable, you might want to get the spec right.
If
> > there is no argument, abs(), like so many other builtin functions,
uses
> > $_ as its operand.
> >
> > So at least start out with:
> >
> >         my $x = @_ ? $_[0] : $_;
>
> wouldn't the functions that take either a scalar
> or list argument be easier to write using:
>
>   @_ = ($_) unless @_;
>
> instead?

Easier, perhaps.  Correct, no!

We're trying to reproduce the semantics of abs(), which say nothing
about clobbering @_ if there is not argument.

--
Larry Rosler
Hewlett-Packard Laboratories
http://www.hpl.hp.com/personal/Larry_Rosler/
lr@hpl.hp.com



==== Want to unsubscribe from Fun With Perl?  Well, if you insist...
==== Send email to <fwp-request@technofile.org> with message _body_
====   unsubscribe