in reply to Re^2: use feature 'postderef'; # Postfix Dereference Syntax is coming in 5.20
in thread use feature 'postderef'; # Postfix Dereference Syntax is coming in 5.20
I find the current syntax ugly and not readable:
Weird isn't it how differently people perceive particular syntaxes. I find the (long form) dereference syntaxes completely consistent and eminently readable (provided they are formatted correctly; which is short-hand for saying: the way I do it :)
- ${ <thing> }: reference thing as a scalar.
- @{ <thing> }: reference thing as an array.
- %{ <thing> }: reference thing as a hash.
The internal whitespace around thing is imperative IMO, and with it, it is (I find it) totally clear, concise and consistent. The three holy Cs of syntax.
Personally, I would much rather have seen the short-forms ($$ref, @$ref & %$ref) removed than have another, less concise, less orthogonal, less consistent, less in-keeping-with syntax, added.
Hm. That last part isn't quite right; let me try that again.
- Pointlessly more verbose.
- Totally arbitrary.
- Utterly inconsistent (with anything).
- Confused and confusing.
- Completely out of keeping.
- Muddled and muddling.
- Like fitting a wing mirror to your garden shed.
Simply the pointless, capricious, because-we-can assertion of the ability to foist whimsy on us muggles. Of course, no one has to use it; but some will, and thus the damage is done.
In short, exactly what has gone wrong with p5p for the last few years.