Re: incremental compilation via shared library

pop <pop@dcs.gla.ac.uk> writes:
> The SML compilers are a compromise which is not too happy, in my opinion.
> Consider the sequence:
> fun fred x = 34;
> fun joe x = fred x + 45;
> fun fred x = 45;
>
> Now in POP-11 or LISP, the redefinition of -fred- would be reflected in the
> meaning of -joe-. But not in SML, which takes the no-doubt-rigorous view
> that the meaning of -fred- in -joe- is what it was when joe was compiled.


Personally I like the SML semantics and wouldn't have it any other way.
Having said that I think I think you are confusing two things here, namely
the notions of (re)binding (of a value to an identifier) and re-definition
of a value. To me these are not the same thing. Rebinding of an identifier
to a value is just binding where the identifier name happens to be the
same as the name of an existing identifier. Re-definition of a value is to
me an environment level thing where you are saying that "oops I made a
mistake in the definition of some value, and I want to change it". It has
nothing to do with the binding semantics of the language at all.


graham
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