[Python-Dev] A Hygienic Macro System in Python? (original) (raw)

Tom Emerson tree@basistech.com
Mon, 18 Mar 2002 16:49:27 -0500

Neil Schemenauer writes:

These types of macros don't impress me. Yes, it's a little more convenient for the person who writes and understands the macro but its more work for other people who have to read and maintain the code. Instead of just reading the code they now have to lookup the definitions of all of these cute macros. It reminds me of '#define BEGIN {' in C. The maintainability of code is it's most important quality, IMHO. Macros like "unless" don't help. If you want "unless" it should be part of the language specification.

Well, FWIW, unless is part of the Dylan language, and can be implemented as a macro (in terms of lower level primitives) or within the language itself.

Whatever. Nevermind.

-- Tom Emerson Basis Technology Corp. Sr. Computational Linguist http://www.basistech.com "Beware the lollipop of mediocrity: lick it once and you suck forever"