> I don't see how the logic is compatible

Set operations have a natural analogy to Boolean operations.

And in mathematics and CS and and or are often replaced with * and + notations, especially in pre-LaTeX documents.

That's because the truth tables are the same

*/AND
  0 1
0 0 0
1 0 1

+/OR
  0 1
0 0 1
1 1 2 (2 is true here)

[download]

Arithmetic operators + - * / are also "close" in precedence, associativity and context (see perlop ) and the grouping rules are well known.

Furthermore is comparison with < > => <= obvious here.

Also the duplicity of == and eq for comparison comes handy (same "set object" or same "set elements")

> STRING * 3 to be equivalent to STRING + STRING + STRING.

not sure what you mean set elements are unique, if you refer to power-sets the cross operator x or power ** may be the better choice.

Cheers Rolf
(addicted to the Perl Programming Language :)
Wikisyntax for the Monastery

In reply to Re^9: Split tab-separated file into separate files, based on column name ( Operator overloading ) by LanX
in thread Split tab-separated file into separate files, based on column name by Anonymous Monk

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