[erlang-questions] process dictionary, anyone?

[Julian Fondren]

On 4/24/07, Ulf Wiger (TN/EAB) <ulf.wiger@REDACTED> wrote:
> The most common users of the process dictionary in OTP are
> proc_lib and mnesia. Proc_lib inserts observable properties
> in the process dictionary, and these are never changed.
> They are used mainly for debugging and error reporting.

Also, the 'random' module inserts random_seed in the caller's
process dictionary.

Quoting myself from three days ago, elsewhere:

  These classified-as-functional languages also have mutable
  state: Haskell -- protected by scary names; Mercury --
  protected by a notion of purity, semipurity, and impurity;
  Erlang -- protected by sometimes irrational aversion.

Where 'sometimes irrational' linked to an earlier thread on
this list:

http://news.gmane.org/find-root.php?message_id=%3c461E348F.3090608%40cs.ntua.gr%3e

Cheers,
Julian