byKey and byValue: properties or methods?

[Alex Rønne Petersen]

On 17-01-2012 07:48, Andrei Alexandrescu wrote:
> I hate I must ask this:
>
> int[string] aa;
> foreach (k; aa.byKey) { ... }
>
> or
>
> int[string] aa;
> foreach (k; aa.byKey()) { ... }
>
>
>
> Thanks,
>
> Andrei "I told you" Alexandrescu

My thoughts:

The "by" in the name is way too awkward for a property. If it was just 
named "keys" and "values", it would've been perfectly fine to make them 
properties, but the "by" just looks awkward when you "call" them as 
properties.

As far as efficiency goes, I don't think these perform any work that is 
heavy enough to warrant not making them properties. (I can't say that 
same for .dup/.idup... I still don't get why those are properties, at all.)

-- 
- Alex