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From: Bob Larson 
Newsgroups: net.lang.c
Subject: re: =
Message-ID: <6855@brl-tgr.ARPA>
Date: Mon, 31-Dec-84 02:29:00 EST
Article-I.D.: brl-tgr.6855
Posted: Mon Dec 31 02:29:00 1984
Date-Received: Tue, 1-Jan-85 06:02:25 EST
Sender: news@brl-tgr.ARPA
Organization: Ballistic Research Lab
Lines: 24


Is EVERYONE ignoring the parentheses?  Or is the silent majority just
hoping this discussion will disappear?

x = y;

is similar to

x = ( x  (y));

with the exception x is only evaluated once.  (If you don't think the parentheses
are needed, try * for  and a+b for y.)

My other point to add to this discussion:  There are few binary operators
that do not already have such assignment operator equivalents.  I think a 
list of desired ones would be clearer.  &&= and ||= seem potentially useful,
as does ->= .  On the other hand, .= and ,= are silly, and == means something
else.  (Should I mention ===, !==, +==, +===, +====?  No, I didn't think so.)
[I am interpreting  loosely here, not as listed in k&r section 18.1.
Otherwise, the potentially useful ->= would be ignored, as well as all of the
silly combinations.]

Bob Larson 
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