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Feature #6555

Updated by nobu (Nobuyoshi Nakada) almost 12 years ago

=begin 
   x <=> y returns -1, 0, 1 or nil 
   
 (x <=> y) == -1 means "x less than y" and is the same as x < y 
   
 (x <=> y) == 0 means "x equal y" is the same as x == y 
   
 (x <=> y) == 1 means "x greater than y" and is the same as x > y 
   
 (x <=> y) == nil means "x not comparable with y" and is the same as !(x <=> y) 
 We see there is no short syntax to test if two objects are not comparable. 
 Can we have something like (({x x >< y})), y, provided by (({Comparable})) Comparable module, that would mean "x and y are not comparable" ? 

 As (({x x != y})) y is a short syntax for (({!(x !(x == y)})), y), can we have (({x x !< y})) y for (({!(x !(x < y)})) y) and (({x x !<= y})) y for (({!(x !(x <= y)})) y) and so on ? 

 As (({x x <= y})) y is the same as (({(x (x < y or x == y)})), y), can we have (({x x <> y})) y for (({(x (x < y or x > y)})) y) ? 

 Here is a list of all possible comparison operators there could be (and their meanings) : 

   

 < return true when <=> return -1 ("less than") 
   
 == return true when <=> return 0 ("egal") 
   
 > return true when <=> return 1 ("greater than") 
   
 <= return true when <=> return -1 or 0 ("equal or less than") 
   
 >= return true when <=> return 1 or 0 ("equal or greater than") 
   
 <> return true when <=> return 1 or -1 ("less or greater than" that is to say "comparable and different") 
   
 >< return true when <=> return nil ("not comparable") 
   
 !< return true when <=> return 0 or 1 or nil ("not less than", that is different from "greater than or eqal" that involves "comparable") 
   
 != return true when <=> return -1 or 1 or nil ("not equal", that is different from "less or greater than" that involves "comparable") 
   
 !> return true when <=> return -1 or 0 or nil ("not greater than", that is different from "less than or eqal" that involves "comparable") 
   
 !<= return true when <=> return nil or 1 ("not equal nor less than", that is different from "greater than" that involves "comparable") 
   
 !>= return true when <=> return nil or -1 ("not equal nor greater than", that is different from "less than" that involves "comparable") 
   
 !<> return true when <=> return 0 or nil ("not less nor greater than", that is different from "egal" that involves "comparable") 
   
 !>< return true when <=> return -1 or 0 or 1 ("not not comparable" or just "comparable", the same as <=> but returning a boolean) 

 All these operators would be very useful, especially when working with partial orders (like subset-inclusion for exemple). 

 Perhaps (({x x !== y})) y should also be a short syntax for (({!(x !(x === y)})). 
 =end y). 

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