GNU bug report logs - #56799
(gnu services configuration) usage of *unspecified* is problematic

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Message #50 received at 56799 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Maxim Cournoyer <maxim.cournoyer <at> gmail.com>
To: Maxime Devos <maximedevos <at> telenet.be>
Cc: 56799 <at> debbugs.gnu.org, attila <at> lendvai.name,
 Tobias Geerinckx-Rice <me <at> tobias.gr>, bokr <at> bokr.com
Subject: Re: bug#56799: (gnu services configuration) usage of *unspecified*
 is problematic
Date: Thu, 28 Jul 2022 11:09:46 -0400

Hi Maxime,

Maxime Devos <maximedevos <at> telenet.be> writes:

[...]

> I think it would be better to:
>
>  * gradually move away from *unspecified* to (values)
>  * and this way, gradually change the meaning of *unspecified* from "an
>    unspecified value" to 'an atom you can do with as you want"
>  * after this, unspecified? and making #<unspecified> readable by the
>    reader aren't weird anymore

Or perhaps simply introduce a #none or other special syntax similar to
None in Python, that would serve a different purpose that *unspecified*,
and be orthogonal to it.  It seems that'd be less confusing and simpler.

Thanks,

Maxim

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