[m-dev.] record syntax

[schachte at cs.mu.OZ.AU]

On  7 Dec, Ralph Becket wrote:
> I don't actually find the need to write
> 
> :- func field_a(T) = foo.	:- func 'field_a:='(T, foo) = T.
> ...
> 
> to be that big a deal.  It certainly wouldn't be hard to write a small
> shell script (or Emacs function, if you're that way inclined) to knock
> out the boilerplate for you.

If you start feeling the need to write code to generate boilerplate for
you, that's a hint that you need a better abstraction.  The problem
with boilerplate isn't just that it's boring and a waste of time to
write, but that it's boring and a waste of time to *read*, it hides the
interesting, important code, and makes maintenance boring, time
consuming, and more error prone.

-- 
Peter Schachte                     The use of COBOL cripples the mind; its
mailto:schachte at cs.mu.OZ.AU        teaching should, therefore, be regarded
http://www.cs.mu.oz.au/~schachte/  as a criminal offense.
PGP: finger schachte at 128.250.37.3      -- E. W. Dijkstra 

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