Re: Implementing NodeList

Actually, if some cases are live and others aren't... this looks like your
real intent was to say "look, since it makes implementation easier, you can
just iterate off the list of kids; that will be live, which has some
hazards, but we're willing to write that into the spec and require it (for
portability)."

IF that was what you had in mind -- if liveness was permissible in this
case rather than being philosophically required, and then made official so
applications could count on consistant behavior -- the doc should probably
come right out and say it. Some of us are used to language specs which are
written with a Strong Philosophy of the Ideal Language, and as a result we
tend to read any statement in the spec as having very strong connotations
as well as denotations. If you don't want us to take it that way, please
indicate that it's commentary and/or compromise -- or us language lawyers
will debate it to death.

Q: How many angels can dance on the head of a pin?
A: In theory: As many as want to.
   In practice: Only as many as will fit.

Received on Monday, 27 July 1998 20:48:32 UTC