[r6rs-discuss] [Formal] Have put-datum append atmosphere

From: R. Kent Dybvig <dyb>
Date: Thu, 14 Jun 2007 13:48:28 -0400

I'm responding as a user/implementer, not as an editor.

> My suggestion "that put-datum behave in such a way that the data written
> by two consecutive calls to put-datum can always be read by two
> consecutive calls to get-datum" is more complex, but not hugely so.
> Unless I am mistaken, I think the editors are giving undue weight to the
> small additional complexity.

I prefer that the suggestion not be taken, and my reason has nothing to do
with the complexity of the specification.

When used for the purpose you describe, a call to put-datum can be
followed, without harm, by a call to newline or something else to emit
whitespace. On the other hand, with the suggested change, one would have
no reasonable way to suppress unwanted trailing atmosphere, say if one
were using put-datum to implement format.

Kent
Received on Thu Jun 14 2007 - 13:48:28 UTC