Re: Multi- Occurrence Data Structure

On Wed, 12 Dec 2007 11:26:33 +0100, john e <jacobus1968@xxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:

This is because with arrays, the index of element you are refering is explicit, while with MODS it's implicit.

Ken Sims wrote:

I consider that an advantage in most circumstances. If you're not
using functionality that is available only to array data structures,
why have to bother to put the array index on the access to every field
in the data structure?

Clarity - see Jon Paris' earlier message for an example.

And if the index is a variable, it has to be
resolved and checked every time to make sure it is within the allowed
range. With the regular MODS, resolution and checking only has to be
done when the occurrence is set. After that it's just like using a
single occurrence data structure, which is better for performance.

"Premature optimization is the root of all evil." - Donald Knuth

Bad coding is bad coding, whether it's a MODS or an array data
structure. Programmers who can't keep track of an occurrence
shouldn't be in the programming business, just like ones who can't
keep track of an array index, whether it's array data structure or a
plain ol' array.

Agreed, mostly. Even the best programmers can make mistakes, so whichever version is more standard and more explicit is probably better in the long run. In my opinion, that is the DS array.

More importantly, I suspect that any new functionality that may be implemented would would be array DS only, as Jacobus suggested:
> I don't know if it's "official" (whatever that means) but i would say that MODS should be considered depricated