[J3] [EXTERNAL] Re: Syntax of conditional expressions

[Clune, Thomas L. (GSFC-6101)]

Anton,

The point is that the committee is effectively divided on the issue while any given member generally agrees that there is some form that works.

I.e., this might be a case where having 2 expressions is the lesser evil than losing the feature over a more trivial issue of preferences.   Should be rarely used, and I'm not exactly advocating it here.   I stated I was not opposed to it in this case.

- Tom

On 6/29/21, 2:56 PM, "J3 on behalf of Shterenlikht, Anton via J3" <j3-bounces at mailman.j3-fortran.org on behalf of j3 at mailman.j3-fortran.org> wrote:

    In general I'm against having multiple syntax
    for the same feature.
    There must be a very good reason to allow this -
    the standard is fat enough already.

    Seems to me it's precisely the role of J3
    to choose a single syntax from all suggestions
    put forward.

    Anton

    > On 29 Jun 2021, at 19:35, Damian Rouson via J3 <j3 at mailman.j3-fortran.org> wrote:
    > 
    > Ditto.  I would be happy to see both a keyword form and a concise form. 
    > 
    > Damian
    > 
    > On Tue, Jun 29, 2021 at 10:48 AM Clune, Thomas L. (GSFC-6101) via J3 <j3 at mailman.j3-fortran.org> wrote:
    > I almost mentioned that possibility last night, but was unaware of any precedent.   I would certainly not object to that approach.
    > 
    >  
    > 
    > From: J3 <j3-bounces at mailman.j3-fortran.org> on behalf of j3 <j3 at mailman.j3-fortran.org>
    > Reply-To: j3 <j3 at mailman.j3-fortran.org>
    > Date: Tuesday, June 29, 2021 at 1:25 PM
    > To: J3 List <j3 at j3-fortran.org>
    > Cc: Robert Corbett <rpcorbett at att.net>
    > Subject: [EXTERNAL] [J3] Syntax of conditional expressions
    > 
    >  
    > 
    > The choice between the verbose and concise
    > 
    > forms of conditional expressions was very
    > 
    > close. I would not object to including both
    > 
    > forms in the language.  There is a precedent.
    > 
    > Algol 68 had both verbose and concise forms
    > 
    > of conditional expressions.  The extra
    > 
    > effort needed to implement two syntactic
    > 
    > forms instead of one is small.  I would use
    > 
    > only the concise form, but I would not have
    > 
    > trouble reading codes that used either form.
    > 
    >  
    > 
    > Robert Corbett
    > 
    >  
    >