[Grace-core] Variables as methods

[Timothy Jones]

If every variable is automatically a confidential method on the surrounding
object, then defining annotations to make reading and writing that variable
publicly available is significantly simpler.

Consider this object definition:

> object {
>   // Confidential getter
>   def a = 1
> 
>   // Public getter
>   def b is public = 2
> 
>   // Confidential getter and setter
>   var c := 3
> 
>   // Public getter and confidential setter
>   var d is readable := 4
> 
>   // Confidential getter and public setter
>   var e is writable := 5
> 
>   // Public getter and setter
>   var f is public := 6
> }

These variables enumerate all of the possibilities.  Annotating a var as
readable, writable is equivalent to declaring it public.

If you really need private variables, just declare them outside the object.

> method newObject {
>   def x = 1
>   object {
>     method number { x }
>   }
> }

-- 
Tim