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Discussion on: Perl 7: A Modest Proposal

 
grinnz profile image
Dan

"A variant of use utf8 that didn't auto-decode strings in the source" would be a no-op - that is the only thing use utf8 does.

I appreciate your opinion though I believe it would be more helpful to new code than harmful. The purpose of use v7 is of course not to blindly apply to existing code - as proposed, it will also break any code defining subroutine prototypes, for example.

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fgasper profile image
Felipe Gasper

Prototypes have been “gently discouraged” for some time, though, AFAIK. More so, I think, than writing new Perl without use utf8.

use utf8 seems the most disruptive of the changes you propose—disruptive insofar as that developers themselves would need to exercise especial care when writing new code or porting existing code. use v7 defined with use utf8 would be problematic where I work, for example, where strings are understood by default to be undecoded/binary/encoded. Whereas enabling strict/warnings/signatures will generate “loud”, easily-fixed breakages, breakages from auto-decode of strings in source seem likely to be subtler.

Anyhow … the appreciation of opinions is mutual. :) We’ll see what comes. Thanks!