Re: To all rock maintainers, take 3 (now with x64 supports)

[Dirk Laurie <dirk.laurie@...>]

2015-11-05 20:55 GMT+02:00 Stefano <phd.st.p@gmail.com>:
> Indeed, if when you started Lua programming such batteries were
> available and commonly used, you would have followed.

Up to a point, Lord Copper.[1]

> I surely would have coped with the fact that string.split() would
> not split by default over my favorite char and have just used it
> instead to focus on more productive stuff. :)

That does touch a raw nerve.[2] I'll concede that a built-in
string.split would have been nice to have.

The thing is, there is a "conceptual integrity" [4] about the built-in
libraries that seems to get lost the moment anyone except the
Lua team in its totalilty gets into the act. As long as string.split
is not in the core string library, people will rather roll their own.
The Wiki discussion [3] makes it quite obvious that the issues
are far from clear-cut.

[1] If you do not recognize the allusion, Google this exact phrase
and try to get hold of the very enjoyable book from which it comes.
[2] <http://lua-users.org/lists/lua-l/2013-04/msg00812.html> and
follow-ups.
[3] <http://lua-users.org/wiki/SplitJoin>
[4]  <http://www.lua.org/wshop06/Ierusalimschy.pdf>