http://qs1969.pair.com?node_id=265968


in reply to Macros, LFSPs and LFMs

Macros are used in many languages to resolve issues that the language for one reason or another doesnt address directly, to fill in the cracks so to speak. I dont see why a language that has appropriate other features necessarily needs a defined macro mechanism. Some of the more common uses for macros are: Templating, Inlining and Conditional Compilation. If a language provides other means of accomplishing these tasks then I see no reason for the language to define a macro language. OTOH, if a language doesnt provide these features, then any arbitrary macro preprocessor will provide then if needed. And when I say any arbitrary macro preprocessor I mean anything from perl to borrowing the C preprocessor for the job.

Which kind of leads me to my main point. Perl doesnt need a macro language because it is a better macro preprocessor than anything else out there all by itself. With closures and eval, source code filters and funky things like BEGIN/INIT blocks and friends, Perl doesnt need anything that a macro preprocessor can provide.

Anybody who thinks that having a macro facility indicates that a L is FSP obviously hasn't noticed VB's macros.


---
demerphq

<Elian> And I do take a kind of perverse pleasure in having an OO assembly language...