[q-lang-users] Two proposed improvements to Q

[John C. <co...@cc...>]

These are some changes I thought up while reviewing Q in a Nutshell.

1) Q currently can't import names selectively from a module.  I propose
the Python syntax for this:

	from <module> import <name>,<name>,...;

and a variant that exports as well as importing:

	from <module> import <name>,<name>,...;

and a variant that exports as well as importing:

	from <module> include <name>,<name>,...;

This makes "from" a reserved word, but I think that is a small price
to pay for the added convenience of being able to bring in specified
names only without the risk of unintended namespace pollution.

2) Now that Q has ML-style reference cells (which are not documented
anywhere in the Q manual that I can see), adding general mutable
(but fixed-length) vectors is an easy extension: one simply adds a
few equations to the standard library for treating tuples of cells
properly.

Following that, byte vectors (mutable byte strings) would also be
a useful addition for dealing with large quantities of homogeneous
data; these have to be done in C, but would be far more efficient
than any alternative representation.

-- 
Is not a patron, my Lord [Chesterfield],        John Cowan
one who looks with unconcern on a man           http://www.ccil.org/~cowan
struggling for life in the water, and when      co...@cc...
he has reached ground encumbers him with help?
        --Samuel Johnson