On Fri, 24 Aug 2007, Lynn Winebarger wrote:

> On 8/24/07, Elf <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>>
>> * allow implementations to generate efficient code, without requiring
>>   programmers to use implementation-specific operators or declarations.
>>
>> again, i believe that this requirement is in error.  what constitutes
>> 'efficient' code is dependent on the system's intended use.  a 
>> number-crunching
>> app doesn't necessarily care about string handling.  additionally, a
>> one-size-fits-all 'efficiency' definition destroys the usefulness of 
>> individual
>> implementations.
>
>     "Allow" is not the same as "Require".  One of the things Steele
> demonstrated with Scheme was that requiring support for higher order
> functions could still allow generation of efficient code.  Mandating
> proper tail recursion, on the other hand, is a requirement for
> generating efficient code.  I think that part of previous scheme
> reports was a great idea.
>
> Lynn
>

apologies for my being unclear.  i was referring only to the 'implementation
responsibilities' and decisions for what should be 'standard library', as well
as such decisions as immutability.  i was not trying to say that no efficiency
requirements could be language requirements as well (eg tail recursion).


-elf


_______________________________________________
r6rs-discuss mailing list
[email protected]
http://lists.r6rs.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/r6rs-discuss

Reply via email to