The .bytes/.codepoints/.graphemes methods

[Brent 'Dax' Royal-Gordon]

As currently designed, the String::bytes, String::codepoints, and 
String::graphemes methods return the number of bytes, codepoints, and 
graphemes, respectively, in the string they were called on.  I would 
like to suggest that, when called in list context, these methods return 
an array of strings split by bytes, codepoints, and graphemes, respectively.

This would make it unambiguous whether certain string operations 
referred to bytes, codepoints, or graphemes:

    $str.bytes[0].ord
    $str.codepoints[0..4].join  #substr
As well as allowing some operations that are currently much more difficult:
    $str.bytes[3].ord
    $str.graphemes[144].lc
Issues:
  * Limits lvalue substr (doesn't allow it to be a different size)
    unless splice is used (or a substr method is also provided).
  * Memory consumption.
  * A bit odd-looking.
Benefits:
  * Removes ambiguity in an area that needs said ambiguity removed.
  * Allows us to reuse constructs (e.g. slicing).
  * Opens up a few previously-difficult constructs (like getting the
    ord() of an arbitrary character).
--
Brent "Dax" Royal-Gordon <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Perl and Parrot hacker
Oceania has always been at war with Eastasia.