Re: [boost] Submission: typelist

From: Peter Dimov (pdimov_at_[hidden])
Date: 2001-11-27 06:23:08

From: "Andrei Alexandrescu" <andrewalex_at_[hidden]>
> From: "Ross Smith" <r-smith_at_[hidden]>
> > An instance of a typelist would be a tuple, surely? Once the two
> > libraries are unified.
>
> No. Sometimes you need the types but you don't need the values. Typelists
> are distinct from tuples.

They are distinct, no questions about it. Just like the type 'int' is
distinct from the value '1', and sometimes I need the type int but not the
value 1.

It seems quite intuitive - to me at least - for type lists to 'mimic'
ordinary types, i.e. just like 1 is an instance of int, so will (1) be an
instance of (int) and (1 2) be an instance of (int int) (lisp notation for
brevity ;-) ).

Not that I can't see some counter arguments to the above, of course. But
they aren't enough to make be abandon the idea.

--
Peter Dimov
Multi Media Ltd.