Re: request for a new function, say, `sequence'

[Kenichi Handa <handa@m17n.org>]

In article <jk4r5qwm20.fsf@glug.org>, Thien-Thi Nguyen <ttn@glug.org> writes:

> "Edward O'Connor" <ted@oconnor.cx> writes:
>    I believe this is called `range' in Python, which perhaps lends
>    something (else) to that name over using `sequence'.

> as far as name preferences, my 2c: `iota'.

Richard suggested `sequential-list' which, I think, is also
a good name.  And as far as he suggested it, I think he
admitted to install than function.  So, I'll install it this
weekend if there aren't any more strong objections.

By the way, `iota' and Python's `range' are slightly
different from what I want.  I think we should avoid to have
a function of the same name but slightly different from that
of the other language unless there's a strong reason.

  range(10) => [0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9]
  range(5, 10) => [5, 6, 7, 8, 9]
  range(0, 10, 3) => [0, 3, 6, 9]
  range(-10, -100, -30) => [-10, -40, -70]

If range is used on simple numbers, this spec is not bad.
But, I'd like to use it also for character codes and glyph
codes as below:
  (sequential-list ?a ?z) => (?a ?b ... ?z)
It seems strange to write
  (sequential-list ?a ?{)
or
  (sequential-list ?a (1+ ?z))
to get (?a ?b ... ?z).

---
Ken'ichi HANDA
handa@m17n.org