08-236r1
To: J3
From: Van Snyder, originally Michael Ingrassia
Subject: Public Comment J32022
Date: 2008 August 12

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Commenter: Robert Corbett
Subject: Subject was "allow multiple generic interfaces that"
		"define the same specific interface in a scoping unit"

The restriction given in the last sentence of the
seventh paragraph of Section 12.4.3.2 of the
Fortran 2008 draft creates unnecessary problems
for users.  It should be elided.

There is no reason to prohibit two generic interfaces
that contain compatible interfaces with the same name
from appearing in a the same scoping unit.  Some users
work around this restriction by writing wrapper
routines.  More sophisticated users might use alternate
entry points to work around the restriction.  Neither
workaround is desirable.

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J3 considered this and decided it is too complicated to pursue at this
time.

The problem is that equivalence of characteristics is not sufficient,
and there is not adequate time to determine exactly and confidently
what the requirements ought to be.