regexp revisions

[Henry Spencer]

(Apologies to everyone in the newsgroups who doesn't give a #@#$%$ about
this -- there isn't really one newsgroup that's quite right.  I've somewhat
arbitrarily pointed followups to comp.sources.bugs.)

I am contemplating a substantial revision to my regular-expression package,
posted to comp.sources.unix about three years ago and widely used since.
Primary objectives will be better performance and cleaner implementation.
Major changes in functionality are not very likely:  compatibility with
the original release is an important consideration.  Current plans do
not include major reimplementation, e.g. a totally new algorithm.

I am interested in any suggestions for, or contributions of, improvements.
If you have corresponded with me in the past, I've kept your mail, so no
need to send it again unless you suspect I did not get it.  Reports of
bugs will be greeted with delight.  Suggestions for performance and
cleanliness improvements will be greeted happily.  Suggestions of changes
to the programming interface will be greeted warily.  Suggestions of
changes to the expression syntax will be greeted with deep skepticism
unless there is a *very* good reason.  ("I'd like it" is not a terribly
good reason unless you're somebody very special; "we're using it to
search DNA sequences and having feature X would really help" is much
more significant.)  Major bonus points awarded for supplying the necessary
code, provided it is made available on the same terms as my original
(completely unrestricted use provided credit is given) or better.
Substantial bonus points for also supplying relevant test cases.
(Actually, something else I'd welcome is simply more test cases for
the test file, especially if they're tricky ones.)

ETA for the new release -- very tentatively -- is late this fall.
It will give credit for all contributions used.  It will appear in
comp.sources.unix, I expect.

Please respond by mail unless there is significant reason to want to
discuss how to do something (not just whether it should be done --
that's my decision).  All mail will be acknowledged.
-- 
NASA is into artificial        |     Henry Spencer at U of Toronto Zoology
stupidity.  - Jerry Pournelle  | uunet!attcan!utzoo!henry henry at zoo.toronto.edu