Re: [PATCH] Fix the R6RS exact-integer-sqrt and import into core guile

[Mark H Weaver]

Hi Detlev,

Detlev Zundel <address@hidden> writes:
> Maybe it doesn't make sense to continue this discussion on a theoretical
> basis.  Because on a theoretical basis I would probably cite the rule of
> modularity or even Antoine de Saint-Exupery:
>
>   Perfection (in design) is achieved not when there is nothing more to
>   add, but rather when there is nothing more to take away.

If we follow that rule, we should limit our available procedures to the
R5RS, and maybe some additional POSIX interfaces, and nothing more.

Since you don't want to continue this discussion on a theoretical basis,
can you please provide a concrete example of how the addition of
scm_exact_integer_sqrt might be a maintenance burden in the future,
given that our public C interface already consists of approximately 2K
functions, including most (maybe all?) of the other numeric operators?

What I'm asking for is a specific example of how some future change in
the internal workings of Guile's implementation might result in us
saying "Damn, if only we hadn't exported those last few numerical
operators, this would've been less of a pain!"

    Thanks,
      Mark