[sbe-discussion] Re: message send vs expression

[stephane ducasse]

This is strange because I worked a lot on this chapter (also for the  
botsinc book) and may be
I messed up with the files.

On Apr 6, 2008, at 11:09 PM, ckasso wrote:

> Greetings,
>
> I think the chapter "Understanding Message Syntax" is the most  
> important
> of the book. If you don't get what this chapter says the rest is a
> struggle. So, this chapter needs to be clear, precise and consistent.
>
> The terms message, message send, and expression are key terms that are
> not used very consistently throughout. For example, figures 4.1 and  
> 4.2
> are side by side on page 70:
>
> Figure 4.1
> Color r: 1 g: 0 b: 0 is described as a message send in the drawing but
> it is called a message in the text. r: 1 g: 0 b: 0 is described as a
> message in the drawing.
>
> Figure 4.2
> aMorph color: Color yellow is described as two expressions
>
> Sometimes a message send is called a message, sometimes an expression.

a message is an expression
expressions are

	assignement
	definition ||
	message
	blocks
	variables

I have to check in the other book there was a first chapter  
introducing that
then later on I had Understanding Syntax. So now it seems that the  
intro is missing (even if in
the chapter 3 this is somehow mentioned).

	
>
> I think that the terms of Figure 4.1 should be used wherever possible
> (they are the most smalltalkish) and that the term expression should  
> be
> used for 2 or more message sends or other expressions.

Not really see above,
>
>
> That would make the drawing of 4.1 accurate. The text would change to:
>
> Figure 4.1: Two message sends each
> composed of a receiver, a method
> selector, and a set of arguments.
>
> and the text of 4.2 would change to:
>
> Figure 4.2: aMorph color: Color yellow
> is an expression composed of two
> message sends Color yellow and
> aMorph color: Color yellow.
>
> There are other places in the chapter where this could be done. What  
> do
> you think?
>

Thanks for finding that lack.

> Chris
>
>
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