ALTER design (Was: Code problems with Perform Thru Exit causes fall

Pete Dashwood wrote:
> "Howard Brazee" <howard@brazee.net> wrote in message
>  news:3i3sa3hcmfal9nepkknnke9cq2eu4981c5@
4ax.com... 
>
> You are a professional in every sense of the word, Howard, and have
> demonstrated it here on many occasions. I'm not surprised you're not
> troubled by these things.

OK - here's a question for you old guy... er, seasoned professionals...

My first experience with the ALTER verb was our shop standards when I
first got there.  "The use of ALTER is strictly forbidden."  :)  I
wondered what it did, but didn't bother looking it up at that point.

Later on in my time there, I looked it up - and shuddered.  IMO, it's an
absolutely horrendous construct.  It seems to me that if ALTER is the
answer, the question must not have been phrased correctly.  :)  I
understand its use, and the problems that it was supposed to get around
largely don't exist any more.

Now my curiosity is more theoretical.  How does one think to design
ALTER in a good way?

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