overloading operators for I/O

[Bill Baxter]

Walter Bright wrote:
> Chad J wrote:
>> Hmmmm, abstract algebra...
>> would this be easily parsable?
>> other objections?
>> a = b (+) c;
>> a = b (-) c;
>> a = b (*) c;
>> a = b (^) c;
>> a = b (|) c;
>> a = b ($) c;
>> a = b (?) c;
>> etc...
> 
> Yes.

You mean yes on both counts?

It's kind of a controversial thing, I know, but for some types there 
really are multiple ways to interpret basic operations.  Matlab, for 
example, defines .* to mean element-wise multiplication and * to mean 
matrix multiplication.  Both forms get plenty of use.  (Same for 
exponentiation too -- .^ and ^ both exist).

I don't really care either way, but there is at least one example of a 
widely used language, specifically for math, in which there are more 
than the standard set of operators.

Also Ocaml or Haskell or one of those guys, I forget which, allows 
definition of new operators using any combination of characters used in 
the built-in operators.  E.g.  **+ or */* or +++ or +- can all be made 
into custom operators.  I have to admit, /That/ one seems like a pretty 
bad idea to me.  :-)

--bb