[bitc-dev] Static initializer expressions

[Swaroop Sridhar]

Jonathan S. Shapiro wrote:
> SHORT TERM
> 
> The following are valid initializer expressions:
> 
>   1. Literals
>   2. Application of +, -, *, /, OR, AND, IF, where the constituent
>      expressions are initializer expressions.
>   3. SIZEOF
>   4. Constructing forms
>   5. Lambda forms. Note that these cannot be applied at initialization
>      time because of the limitations of rule [2].
>   6. Statically initialized symbols whose DEFINITION (not declaration)
>      are lexically in scope (we say that such a symbol is "observably
>      defined at initialization time")
> Does anybody see a problem with the short-term approach above that I may
> be failing to consider?

The application of + - * / etc should be permitted only for applications
on primitive integer types right? Otherwise, the programmer can provide
an instance for the Arith class where these methods are satisfied
through side-effecting functions. Such an application should not be 
permitted even though the arguments are initializer expressions.

Swaroop.