Re: Opinions? Tcl Python Perl, Virtues/failings

Peter da Silva (peter@nmti.com)
Fri, 31 Mar 1995 11:39:59 GMT

In article <klmznfxxytp7ezi@coil.nist.gov>,
Kenneth Manheimer <ken.manheimer@nist.gov> wrote:
> data structure. The problem is, i could *not* directly construct it
> in a manageable way. Ie, as best i recall, i had to use indirection
> through variable names, because eg nesting an array within an array is
> really just putting a string within a string, and the boundaries can
> be lost depending on the data. This is NOT NOT NOT adequate.

It's also not necessary. The index to an array can be a list, and the
boundaries in a list are well behaved.

> In my opinion, the lack of simple but sophisticated native data
> structures is one of the main impediments to building clean, large
> systems with tcl.

Tcl isn't intended for building large systems. If you want to build
large systems, use scheme.

> The "word basis" of tcl operations breaks down pretty quick. What
> about:

> [expr {($hostsNoticed > 1) ? "s" : ""}]

I wouldn't write that. I'd write:

[lindex [list "" s] [expr "$hostsNoticed > 1"]]

> The string-nature of the native types in tcl drives me *crazy*, when
> it comes to distingushing structure from syntax.

You're not supposed to distinguish structure from syntax. It's like Lisp
and Scheme in that way.

-- 
Peter da Silva                                            `-_-'
Network Management Technology Incorporated                 'U`
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