Re: static vs. dynamic scoping

[Harald van Dijk <harald@gigawatt.nl>]

On 14/11/10 00:54, ольга крыжановская wrote:
> Now function a uses typeset IFS="X" to set the field separator to "X"
> via a local variable IFS. If function b now uses "read foo1 foo2 foo3"
> to read a line of a database the concept of dynamic scoping *BITES*.

The way I had seen "local IFS" used is to sanitise IFS -- to reset IFS 
to the default value, when IFS was set to, for example, : before the 
function was called, and the function wants to split on whitespace. In 
that case, you don't want b to get IFS=:. Both forms are used, and in 
your form, I agree, static scoping is more useful.