std.regexp vs std.regex [Re: RegExp.find() now crippled]

[Steve Teale]

Steven Schveighoffer Wrote:

> On Tue, 16 Nov 2010 13:16:13 -0500, Steve Teale  
> <steve.teale at britseyeview.com> wrote:
> >
> > Andrei,
> >
> > Maybe it is time that the structure of the standard library became more  
> > generalized. At the moment we have std... and core...
> >
> > Perhaps we need another branch in the hierarchy, like ranges... Then  
> > there could be a std.range module that was the gateway into ranges...  
> > The library could then expand in an orderly fashion, with a wider range  
> > of users becoming responsible for the maintenance of of different  
> > branches against changes in the language, not against changes in fashion.
> >
> > Then you could have ranges.regex, that suits you, and the people who  
> > were happy with the status quo, could continue to use std.regexp, which  
> > should continue to behave like it did in DMD2.029 or whatever it was  
> > when I wrote my 'legacy' code.
> >
> > The current system, where modules of the library can get arbitrarily  
> > deprecated and at some point removed because they are unfashionable, is  
> > very unfriendly.
> >
> > I recognize that you are young, hyper-intelligent, and motivated toward  
> > fame. But there are other users, like me, who are older, but not senile,  
> > and have more conservative attitudes, including the desire to use code  
> > they wrote in the past at some point in the future.
> 
> The standard library should not have something to please everyone.  If  
> there is 5 different styles to do the same thing, it will be a failure.
> 
> Can you just copy std.regex from 2.029 and compile it in your project?   
> I.e. instead of phobos adding range branch for the new range style, you  
> add branch Teale for your style and copy what you like in there.  Then you  
> have what you want (may take a little effort on your part, but then you  
> control the results).
> 
> Also, 2.029 is still available via download, you can still use it.
> 
> -Steve

Yes Steve, of course I can, but other much more popular languages like for instance PHP seem to do OK with the suit-everyone style.

I am just upset that code I put a lot of effort into gets broken because somebody else does not like the style of the library.

Which should be preserved - style, or substance?

Steve