Re: '{}' feature or bug?

[haahr@netcom.com (Paul Haahr)]

[After being away from this list for about six months, I'm back on line
and catching up with my mail.  I'll try to reply to most of the bug
reports soon.]

On 28 August 1994, Mikael Adolfsson wrote
> This struck me as an inconsistent behaviour, but perhaps it's
> intentional.  If it is, I can't see why.  I don't like it.
> 
>      ; }
>      syntax error
>      ; '}'
>      }: No such file or directory
>      ; '{'
>      {: No such file or directory
> 
> the above is ok, but what about the rest?
> 
>      ; '{}'
>      ; '{echo strange}'
>      strange
>      ; 

I'd have to call this a feature, as it's a fundamental part of the
design of es.  On-demand convertability between strings and program
fragments is the mechanism for supporting the export (to the environment
or as program arguments) of program fragments;  what you've noticed is a
consequence of that.

Paul