[m-dev.] for review: the new debugger command set

[Tyson Dowd]

On 18-Sep-1998, Zoltan Somogyi <zs at cs.mu.OZ.AU> wrote:
> 
> > This rather strange to see a multi proc failing since it is supposed not
> > to fail. Isn't that a bug in the tracer ?
> 
> No, this is not a bug in the tracer, or in the code generator.
> 
> "This rather strange to see a multi proc failing since it is supposed not
> to fail" indicates a misconception. A multi proc is not supposed to fail
> *without first producing a solution*. Once it has produced that solution,
> and possibly other solutions, the multi proc is allowed to fail, and
> must fail if it has no more solutions. The only difference between nondet
> and multi is that multi promises at least one solution before failure.

I thinkg the problem is that our "quick summary" table in the language
reference manual says "can fail?  no" for multi, and if you learn
that table, you might answer the question "can multi ever fail?" with
"no".

Perhaps what it should say is "can fail with no solutions?".

-- 
Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.     - Benjamin Franklin

Tyson Dowd   <tyson at tyse.net>   http://tyse.net