Why Strings as Classes?

[Dee Girl]

Benji Smith Wrote:

> Dee Girl wrote:
> > Michiel Helvensteijn Wrote:
> >> That's simple. a[i] looks much nicer than a.nth(i).
> > 
> > It is not nicer. It is more deceiving (correct spell?). If you look at code it looks like array code.
> > 
> > foreach (i; 0 .. a.length)
> > {
> >     a[i] += 1;
> > }
> > 
> > For array works nice. But for list it is terrible! Many operations for incrementing only small list.
> 
> Well, that's what you get with operator overloading.

I am sorry. I disagree. I think that is what you get with bad design.

> The same thing could be said for "+" or "-". They're inherently 
> deceiving, because they look like builtin operations on primitive data 
> types.
> 
> For expensive operations (like performing division on an 
> unlimited-precision decimal object), should the author of the code use 
> "opDiv" or should he implement a separate "divide" function?

The cost of + and - is proportional to digits in number. For small number of digits computer does fast in hardware. For many digits the cost grows. The number of digits is log n. I think + and - are fine for big integer. I am not surprise.

> Forget opIndex for a moment, and ask the more general question about all 
> overloaded operators. Should they imply any sort of asymptotic 
> complexity guarantee?

I think depends on good design. For example I think ++ or -- for iterator. If it is O(n) it is bad design. Bad design make people say like you "This is what you get with operator overloading".

> Personally, I don't think so.
> 
> I don't like "nth".
> 
> I'd rather use the opIndex. And if I'm using a linked list, I'll be 
> aware of the fact that it'll exhibit linear-time indexing, and I'll be 
> cautious about which algorithms to use.

But inside algorithm you do not know if you use a linked list or a vector. You lost that information in bad abstraction. Also abstraction is bad because if you change data structure you have concept errors that still compile. And run until tomorrow ^_^.

I also like or do not like things. But good reason can convince me? Thank you, Dee Girl.