Project Lambda: Java Language Specification draft 0.1.5

[Joshua Bloch]

Neal,

On Thu, Feb 18, 2010 at 6:42 PM, Neal Gafter <neal at gafter.com> wrote:

> On Thu, Feb 18, 2010 at 5:10 PM, Alex Buckley <Alex.Buckley at sun.com>
> wrote:
> > If 'this' is banned in an expression lambda, and in returns of a
> > statement lambda, then a lambda instance's identity cannot be exposed,
> > and the question is moot.
>
> As Josh pointed out, if "this" refers to the lambda anywhere inside
> the lambda, then its identity is observable.
>
> Another problem with having "this" refer to the lambda


I don't see the observability of "this" as a problem; I see it as a
desirable feature.

that we did not
> discuss before is that it does not compose well.  Specifically, a
> lambda written within another lambda has no way to refer to "this" of
> the enclosing lambda.
>

I see this as a corner case, with a workaround: the enclosing lambda can
stash its identity in order to make it available to the enclosed lambda.

        Regards,

        Josh