Deprecate pseudo-hashes.

p4raw-id: //depot/perl@10132

diff --git a/pod/perl572delta.pod b/pod/perl572delta.pod
index bce7328..fe1eed0 100644 (file)
--- a/pod/perl572delta.pod
+++ b/pod/perl572delta.pod
@@ -27,6 +27,15 @@ for more information.
 
 =head1 Incompatible Changes
 
+=head1 Future Deprecations
+
+The current user-visible implementation of pseudo-hashes (the weird
+use of the first array element) is deprecated starting from Perl 5.8.0
+and will be removed in Perl 5.10.0, and the feature will be implemented
+differently.  Not only is the current interface rather ugly, but the
+current implementation slows down normal array and hash use quite
+noticeably. The 'fields' pragma interface will remain available.
+
 =head1 Core Enhancements
 
 =head1 Modules and Pragmata

diff --git a/pod/perlref.pod b/pod/perlref.pod
index 2727e95..a62276b 100644 (file)
--- a/pod/perlref.pod
+++ b/pod/perlref.pod
@@ -538,6 +538,13 @@ string is effectively quoted.
 B<WARNING>:  This section describes an experimental feature.  Details may
 change without notice in future versions.
 
+B<NOTE>: The current user-visible implementation of pseudo-hashes
+(the weird use of the first array element) is deprecated starting from
+Perl 5.8.0 and will be removed in Perl 5.10.0, and the feature will be
+implemented differently.  Not only is the current interface rather ugly,
+but the current implementation slows down normal array and hash use quite
+noticeably.  The 'fields' pragma interface will remain available.
+
 Beginning with release 5.005 of Perl, you may use an array reference
 in some contexts that would normally require a hash reference.  This
 allows you to access array elements using symbolic names, as if they

diff --git a/pod/perltodo.pod b/pod/perltodo.pod
index 39aa37f..8c94a29 100644 (file)
--- a/pod/perltodo.pod
+++ b/pod/perltodo.pod
@@ -747,7 +747,7 @@ Suggesting this on P5P B<will> cause a boring and interminable flamewar.
 
 =head2 "class"-based lexicals
 
-Use flyweight objects, secure hashes or, dare I say it, pseudohashes instead.
+Use flyweight objects, secure hashes or, dare I say it, pseudo-hashes instead.
 
 =head2 byteperl