Static operator overloads (again)

[Christopher Wright]

Giles Bathgate wrote:
> Christopher Wright Wrote:
> 
>> On the other hand, what about subclasses? They can't override the 
>> behavior of an operator overload, if operator overloading uses static 
>> methods. You're reduced to writing your overloads as:
>>
>> class Foo
>> {
>> 	static Foo opAddAssign (Foo left, Foo right)
>> 	{
>> 		return left.addAssign(right);
>> 	}
>> }
>>
> 
> I don't understand your example. It was my understanding that static methods cannot be overridden. (there is no vtable entry for a static method)

That is my point. Static methods cannot be overridden. I want virtual 
operator overloads.

> Maybe you thought that I an requesting for D's implementation of operator overloads to ONLY use static methods?

So your suggestion is to convert:

{{{
MyClass instance1, instance2;
auto instance3 = instance1 + instance2;
}}}

to:
{{{
MyClass instance1, instance2;
MyClass instance3;
static if (isStaticMethod!(MyClass.opAdd))
	instance3 = MyClass.opAdd(instance1, instance2);
else
	instance3 = instance1.opAdd(instance2);
}}}

I don't see anything wrong with this suggestion. But I just don't see 
any compelling reason for it. I'm not getting off my chair to patch dmd 
to support this.