Re: [Webmacro-devel] Voting on the ContextTool issue?

[Eric B. R. <eb...@tc...>]

On Wednesday, July 23, 2003, at 03:26  PM, Brian Goetz wrote:

>> I do think ContextTools should go away.
>
> There's a difference between deprecating them and getting rid of the
> ones we have, breaking everyone's templates in the process.

Those templates will break at some point anyway (if tools do go away).  
Does it really make a difference if it happens now or later?  It sounds 
like we're deciding if it will happen or not, regardless of when.

> They provide a very special capability -- the ability to define global
> facilities which are available to every template.  That is a very
> special capability.  Having to import every tool you use in a template
> is error prone and ugly.

How about exploring a way to expand this capability to regular 
$Variables too.  Why does it have to happen

> Just like directives.  Lets get rid of them too then!

Come on man, gimme a break.  :)

> Then do so, deprecate the context tools we have, and then, in a
> version or two, we can talk about getting rid of CTs.

So you're saying, w/o any further discussion, that we should deprecate 
all our existing tools?  Hmm.

> Agreed.  But saying "lets get rid of CTs" before a better mechanism
> is in place and in use is putting the cart before the horse.

Spending the time talking about a better mechanism is a waste if you 
can't be convinced what we currently have needs to be changed (or even 
dropped completely).

eric