The Matrix to end all Matrix classes (Let's dream!)

[Robert DaSilva]

Bill Baxter wrote:
> Dan wrote: 
>> D's slices already perform 90% of the stuff we want in order to
>> achieve a Matrix.  You more or less just want a standard library that
>> lets you do it, right?
> 
> I'd say it lets you do about 50% of the stuff you want for a Matrix, but
> putting a single percentage figure on it is not really possible, because
> different features have different importance to different users.
> 
> In particular:
> 1) $ can't be used for opIndex or opSlice in user-classes.

I think there's a proposal for that already.

> 2) D lacks a clean syntax for slices of multiple dimensions.  opSlice
> calls must have one and only one ".."

Can you propose a syntax for that?

> 3) D lacks a way to return a reference.  opIndexAssign only takes you so
> far.

Isn't that in the works?

> 4) D lacks a way to transparently reference count memory.  (No
> equivalent of struct copy constructors or destructors)

Can you think of a something that really need reference counting when
you have GC?

> 5) D lacks a way to pass by const-reference (even in D2 -- but
> presumably this is just a bug in the D2.x compiler)

The ref parameter storage type combined with const doesn't make sense,
use in and let the complier decide how to pass it.