>>>>> On Sat, 9 Jun 2001 19:25:01 -0700, "David McClain" <dmcclain1@mindspring.com> said:

> I had just thought of a similar solution myself, but I wouldn't be
> so strict as to disallow any use in an expression. Rather, as long
> as only one such function call exists in any one expression it would
> be okay. That would allow things like

> let ans = prev_ans + process_tail() in ....

Yes.

> It does sound like an easy solution, so knowing myself as I do, I am
> wondering what I don't understand about the details... If it were so
> easy, then why hasn't it been done yet?

I think the answer is that the ``effect''ness isn't simply captured in
the type.  So the current type-inference engine would not be able to
do it.  It would require a bit of ad-hocery in the compiler.  That
doesn't mean that it's unsound, just that the existing compiler
mechanisms couldn't do it.

../Dave
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