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Re: Proposed pragma: readonly - summary

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From:
Tom Christiansen
Date:
May 22, 2000 14:35
Subject:
Re: Proposed pragma: readonly - summary
Message ID:
5426.959031294@chthon
>But the cases that I'm really interested in are where you want to export
>constants and be sure that they can't be messed up:

The trend over the last few decades has been to design computer
languages that enforce a state of paranoia.  You're expected to
program every module as if it were in a state of siege.  Certainly
there are some feudal cultures where this is appropriate, but not
all cultures are like this.  

Specifically, Perl's culture is not.

If your users have been peeking and poking into the private affairs
of your module, the inevitable disaster is their own fault and none
of your concern.  All you can do is live up to your end of the
contract by maintaining the interface.  Trying to stop everyone
else in the world from ever doing something slightly wicked will
take up all your time and energy--and in the end, fail anyway.

It's like passing a law against naughty thoughts.  Or against
suicide.  Neither has any beneficial effect whatsoever, because the
determined will always be there to circumvent your wishes.  Only
education helps.

--tom

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