Re: 16-numeric-args.patch

[Akim Demaille]

>>>>> "akim" == akim  <address@hidden> writes:

akim> On Sat, Oct 13, 2001 at 04:10:53PM +0100, Gary V. Vaughan wrote:
>> so presumably that code has already stripped unquoted leading
>> spaces by the time the builtin receives its argv?

akim> No, this is different.  Think of eval([ 1 + 1]).

Of course not.  Rather, divert([  1 ]).  Dead wrong to my eyes.

>> I think we are in agreement here, that normal m4 whitespace rules
>> should apply to numeric arguments.  I am slightly worried about old
>> code that relies on this "feature" though... perhaps Rene wrote it
>> this way for compatibility with vendor M4?

akim> This is dead broken, extremely bad, puke!  Never ever put
akim> features for novices which can make it harder for real hard core
akim> programmers.  M4 programmers are aware of the rules, and having
akim> an exception is a means to have unwanted phenomenons remain
akim> hidden.

akim> I really don't want soft corners.  But that's my HO.

So?