[spec] comments on the proposed gemini spec revisions

[Oliver Simmons]

On Mon, 11 Oct 2021 at 15:12, Omar Polo <op@omarpolo.com> wrote:
> I've seen this argument in the gitlab issue too […]

I haven't checked the issue yet, will do after sending this.

> In what language(s) splitting a string is faster than
> checking for a prefix?  Splitting requires the allocation of multiple
> objects, while the prefix only requires a scan of the first few bytes.

I said simpler, not faster. What you said is true in some cases, but
not everyone is striving for optimisation speed-wise.

It'll depend on the language used, but splitting allows you to use a
simple equality switch statement, which isn't possible by checking
with a prefix.
The way I understand your message, I would have to use an else-if
list, which is hardly ideal.

e.g. in C#:
```
// If it's <3 chars then just treat it as a text line (the default).
switch ((line.Length < 3) ? "" : line.Substring(0, 3).Split(" ", 2)[0])
{
    case "=>": …
    case "* ": …
    … and so on …
    default: …
}
```
vs
```
if (line.StartsWith("=> ") {
    …
} else if (line.StartsWith("* ") {
    …
} … and so on …
else { … }
```

At the least, it should be required for link (as you said) and list
lines ("* "). I've seen where people have tried to use *emphasis* at
the start of a line and got a bullet point by mistake.

> > I see no downside to enforcing it in the spec (a SHOULD or MUST).
>
> My argument is kind the opposite: if there isn't a (strong) reason for
> requiring something, then that something MUST be optional.  Whitespaces
> are required in the link line to separate unambiguously the link from
> the label, the other whitespaces in the "special" lines don't serve this
> purpose so they need to be completely optional.

At the very least it should be recommended by the spec IMO.

-Oliver Simmons (GoodClover)