[m-dev.] io__write et al

[Peter Schachte]

> > Shouldn't we start encouraging the notation `io:print'?
> 
> No.  That notation should be DIScouraged, because it is going to change
> to `io.print'.  But of course we shouldn't start encouraging the notatino
> `io.print' until after we have implemented it...

This doesn't seem like a good idea.  Firstly, it is error prone, as some
people will tend to write io . print(...).  Secondly, the infix dot
notation is more orthodoxly used for structure member reference, and if we
can work around points 1 and 3, it seems preferable to me to reserve infix
dot for this.  Thirdly, does this mean that we can't use '.' as this list
constructor anymore?  Shouldn't io.print() be the list [io|print()]? 
Finally, colon is a much more conventional module qualification operator. 

What's the rationale for making this change?

-Peter Schachte      URL:  http://www.cs.mu.oz.au/~pets/
pets at cs.mu.OZ.AU     PGP:  finger pets at 128.250.37.150 for key
    [A computer is] like an Old Testament god, with a lot of rules
    and no mercy.  -- Joseph Campbell