Re: CML2 1.1.1, wiuth experimental fast mode

["Eric S. Raymond" <esr@thyrsus.com>]

Albert D. Cahalan <acahalan@cs.uml.edu>:
> > 	* Added fast-mode command to suppress side-effect computation 
> > 	  on slow machines.
> 
> You could put the computation in a low-priority thread, so that it
> still gets done but doesn't mess up responsiveness.

Yes, I've thought about doing exactly this.  It's a huge nasty can of
worms, though, because it would mean that the side effects from
setting a symbol could manifest some unpredictable amount of time
after they were triggered.  And what if the user has taken actions
that set variables during that window?  What if the side-effects
conflict?

Clearly, that way lies madness.  I think my effort would be better spent
speed-tuning the deduction algorithms so fastmode can go away.  
-- 
		<a href="http://www.tuxedo.org/~esr/">Eric S. Raymond</a>

The men and women who founded our country knew, by experience, that there
are times when the free person's answer to oppressive government has to be
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freedom; it's the mother of all freedoms.  Don't let them disarm you!