Re: RFC 263 (v1) Add null() keyword and fundamental data type

[Tom Christiansen]

>Unlike undef, which gets assigned to uninitialized variables, NULL is only
>used by choice.  So you only need deal with NULL when there is the
>possibility that it needs to be handled in some special way, and might exist
>as a value in the expression being handled.

This can be done without being in the language.  Return a ref to a
blessed object whose stringification or numification method raises
an exception.  

>The novice need not use NULL until he is an expert, or is dealing with
>databases.  As an expert, it is not hard to understand the difference, and if
>dealing with databases, there is a definite need to understand the
>difference.

I completely disbelieve.  Changing the fundamental nature of what
a VALUE is in Perl is hardly something you can hide.  The amount
of pain people seem to go through already understanding this stupid
spectre out of database hell is sufficient to run in terror.

--tom