[Oberon] Modula2 vs Oberon IMPORT

[Jan Verhoeven]

On Saturday 08 January 2011 05:50:56 Duke Normandin wrote:

> The Modula-2 syntax is a bit deceptive there, it seems.

No it isn't. You just need to think like geniuses such as Niklaus and 
Jurg.

> FROM <some_module> IMPORT <this_procedure>, [<that_procedure>]
>
> seemed to imply selective procedure inclusion. Whatever! Not a big
> deal; I was just curious. 

That's not possible. A Modula-2 library (or MODULE) is a separate 
entity, almost a program in itself. It runs in its entirety inside your 
executable. And it must do so. Lots of (hidden) variables and 
procedures may be used byu the public procedures. 

Suppose you're building a snow mobile. And you specify:

FROM	Cars	IMPORT	V6Engine;

that would not give you much result, if it would only import tyhe engine 
and not the fuel lines and exhaust systems. These are hidden properties 
of the module. Still, you need them. It has nothing to do with bloating 
or being efficient.

> I suppose a good C programmer could hack an Oberon compiler all to
> hell if he wanted to. :D

A good C programmer.... You still have 356 days to find one, this year.

-- 
Met vriendelijke groeten,

Jan Verhoeven
http://www.verhoeven272.nl