Re: [BLD] My comments on version dated 5/10

Michael Kifer wrote:

>>Am I the only one in the group to think that normal forms can make the 
>>life of implementors easier?
> 
> Easier? They'll make the life harder! Instead of a straightforward
> translation they will force the implementors to recognize non-normal forms
> and do translation.

Hmmm... There might be a misunderstanding, here: what I say is that, if 
RIF specifies a normal form, we can have a level of compliance where 
only the recognition of normal forms is required. That might make 
implementation easier.

But I agree that, as I already pointed in my previous emails, the 
downside is that it would probably require such implementations to 
publish only normal forms, which might make implementation more complex. 
Although most actual rule languages have probably more expressive power 
than RIF basics, and will have to do some recognition and transformation 
anyway; but, well...

And so, I have no decisive opinion either way: I was just wondering if 
this is something we should discuss.

But I do not seem to get much echo, which probably means that the answer 
is: no, this is not something we should bother about. And that we should 
probably just end the subject here.

If somebody disagrees and thinks that we should raise an issue; please 
speak up now or shut up forever! :-)

Christian

Received on Thursday, 11 October 2007 15:56:05 UTC