[Info-vax] Very simple DCL question

[Bill Gunshannon]

On 1/1/23 13:02, Arne Vajhøj wrote:
> On 1/1/2023 12:54 PM, Stephen Hoffman wrote:
>> On 2023-01-01 17:25:08 +0000, Arne Vajhj said:
>>> On 1/1/2023 12:02 PM, Stephen Hoffman wrote:
>>>> Somebody (and I'm pretty sure I know who it was) did fix the @ 
>>>> documentation in the DCL Dictionary, not that most folks will know 
>>>> or will remember that @ is documented there. 
>>>> https://docs.vmssoftware.com/vsi-openvms-dcl-dictionary-a-m/
>>>
>>> Yes. And it points to DCL_CTLFLAGS bit 3.
>>
>> P9 to P16 should have been enabled by default, and disabled with 
>> DCL_CTLFLAGS when or if that was needed.
>>
>> Make the defaults better over time. Not worse.
>>
>> Compatibility inevitably extracts its costs in complexity and 
>> confusion and effort.
>>
>> Look around. This DCL feature has been available for over a dozen 
>> years. And few here even knew of its existence. That's a problem.
> 
> On the other hand then breaking compatibility also requires
> a justification.

How would adding the ability to have 8 addition parameters break
anything?

> 
> Who needs more than 8 parameters?  Obviously someone
> did since the feature was added, but it does not seem
> like something many wants.

Then don't use it.  But allowing 16 won't break any code that only
uses 8 and it gives a capability someone might need or want.

bill