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From: Mark H Weaver <mhw@netris.org>
To: guile-devel@gnu.org
Subject: (set! (@@ MOD NAME) EXP) considered harmful
Date: Wed, 02 Sep 2009 12:17:11 -0400	[thread overview]
Message-ID: <877hwhqq2g.fsf@netris.org> (raw)

The ability to set! arbitrary module top-level variables from outside
the module, using the syntax (set! (@@ MOD NAME) EXP), destroys our
ability to several important optimizations.

As long as such ability exists, we must pessimistically assume that
any module top-level variable might change at any time, which means,
for example, that we cannot inline top-level procedure applications
from within the module itself.  This could be a HUGE efficiency win in
the common case where such top-level procedures are never set! from
within the module.

Now that we have proper hygienic macros, is this functionality still
required?  If we're going to remove it, pre-2.0 seems like a good time
to do so.  We won't get another opportunity for several years.

     Mark




             reply	other threads:[~2009-09-02 16:17 UTC|newest]

Thread overview: 7+ messages / expand[flat|nested]  mbox.gz  Atom feed  top
2009-09-02 16:17 Mark H Weaver [this message]
2009-09-02 16:25 ` (set! (@@ MOD NAME) EXP) considered harmful Mark H Weaver
2009-09-03 14:57 ` Andy Wingo
2009-09-15 21:23   ` Neil Jerram
2009-09-17 22:16     ` Ludovic Courtès
2009-09-18 14:29       ` Andy Wingo
2009-09-18 20:40         ` Neil Jerram

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