Re: display vs write

[Charles Turner <chturne at gmail dot com>]

On 03/02/12 21:58, Helmut Eller wrote:
> * Per Bothner [2012-02-03 20:10] writes:
> > Some examples:
> > * A math program can display equations and graphs as the
> > output of an expression.
> > * An expression can evaluate to a "picture" which would
> > be displayed inline: http://per.bothner.com/blog/2007/ReplPane/
> > * An HTML/XML obj can be insert into the output in visual
> > form if the console understands HTML.  (I have a prototype
> > of this based on the JavaFX webnode component I'm working on
> > in my Day Job.)
>
> Those don't seem particularly feasible/useful on a text terminal.

I agree. We could just default to WRITE in text mode console, and 
DISPLAY in graphical ones. WRITE does a lot of checking for shared 
structures, which most of the time isn't necessary (as well as producing 
some non-intuitive output on occasion). I can't think of any other 
reasons for not wanting it on by default. I'm very excited about the 
grander visions with a richer console interface though, where this 
decision makes a lot of sense to me.

I suppose the next printing enhancement is paged support for lazy 
values. I'd be happy to take that one, can't "promise" that I'll be 
finished before 1.12.

Charles.