[Oberon] Oberon for a C++ user.

[Srinivas Nayak]

Dear All,

Regarding the dangling procedure variable,
Is it a language issue?
or its implementation issue?

[I would like to understand this for my knowledge sake only.]

I feel it is not language issue...
Language said, modules can be imported.
Imported modules can export procedure variables.
Importers can assign Procedures to them.
That way, imported module can also call importer module's procedures.
Done!

I feel, language did its own job, saying this much.
It shouldn't go on to dictate when to load imported module,
when to load importer module, When to unload which one,
whether to allow or disallow loading/unloading,
and what is the consequence of loading/unloading etc...
These are just my thoughts...

Or it should dictate all such things? (to guide implementation...)
Where do we generally draw the lines?
Is it that C++ guys go on dictating all such things and
that is why their Standard is longer than Oberon's?

Since this dangling procvar is a nice case at hand.
So I thought to get expert's opinion on,
where to limit language liabilities
and what all are then left as implementation issue?

And yes, by 'implementation' I mean,
mainly the OS here (including linker+loader+libraries).
Not the compiler. I think compiler is the realization of the language.
So I feel whatever the language says or are the language liabilities,
must be supported by compiler. Some other stuff that are not part of
the language may go into compiler, but lesser is better.
Is there any misunderstanding from me here? Kindly rectify me.

Hope to see some lights on this from language/implementation experts.


With thanks and best regards,

Yours sincerely,
Srinivas Nayak

Home: http://www.mathmeth.com/sn/
Blog: http://srinivas-nayak.blogspot.in/