More on fP 6.0 features

[Laura Brody]

On Fri, 22 Oct 2004 20:09:41 -0400, Fairlight <fairlite at fairlite.com> wrote:

> This public service announcement was brought to you by Laura Brody:
>> On Fri, 22 Oct 2004 16:57:28 -0400, Fairlight <fairlite at fairlite.com> wrote:
>>
>> > BASE64( TO|FROM , INFIELD, OUTFIELD)
>> >
>>
>> I already wrote a prc table that does this. Not very
>> difficult.
>
> So has Brian White, if memory serves.
>
> "Inline is simply more efficient."  There was a reason they actually
> implemented khttpd in linux.  Like a 3-10x performance increase over apache.
> Just as an example.
>
> I never said it was difficult.  I've read the RFC--it's not a problem.  The
> implication is that it's desirable to have it as a builtin, not an extra
> chunk you have to drag with you and run (for all intents and purposes) in
> emulation, when it could be fully optimised and embedded.
>

	My point was that you can do it now, without waiting
for fP Tech. If they get around to adding it - great. If
not, it doesn't stop you from using it.

[...]
> Of course, if "you can do it in a prc[, no matter how clumsily]" is the
> criterion for rejecting feature suggestions, I would submit that that's a
> grievous tactical error.
>

	A number of processing language functions have been
added over the years which could be done with a small
chunk of code. Soundex(), DOW(), BOM(), EOM(), MAX() and MIN()
immediately come to mind. People could already do this
stuff, but having it built-in allow more developers to
EASILY use it. Functions are added based on how many
developers are expected to use it. The processing language
has some limits as to how many keywords it can have (unless
Ken did something to expand this in the past few years -
he's out at the A & P at the moment, so I can't ask him.)
If a function is expected to be used by very few people,
it most likely _not_ be added to filePro. It is a question
of priorities, programming resources and marketing value.

-- 
Laura Brody, Publisher of the filePro Developer's Journal
+------------- Hudson Valley Computer Associates, Inc ----------+
| PO Box 859 120 Sixth Street    http://www.hvcomputer.com      |
| Verplanck, NY 10596-0859       Voice mail: (914) 739-5004     |
+------ PC repair locally, filePro programming globally --------+