RE: Operators '=' ‘:=’ ‘::=’ in manual

[DUDZIAK Krzysztof]

I don't actually dare to use terms "recursive variable" and "simple variable"
as myself didn't find such in manual. Terms which I found read
variable expanded recursively
variable expanded simply

Hence, no complaint from me at this point.

-----Original Message-----
From: Paul Smith [mailto:psmith@gnu.org] 
Sent: Donnerstag, 10. Dezember 2020 19:33
To: DUDZIAK Krzysztof <krzysztof.dudziak@thalesgroup.com>; bug-make@gnu.org
Subject: Re: Operators '=' ‘:=’ ‘::=’ in manual

On Thu, 2020-12-10 at 18:19 +0000, DUDZIAK Krzysztof wrote:
> Operators ‘=’ ‘:=’ ‘::=’ seem to have two dimensions these control 
> things expansion recursiveness (simple vs. recursive expansion) 
> expansion time (immediate vs. deferred)

No, there is only one dimension really.

Either the content of the variable is expanded exactly once when it's defined, 
or else it's not expanded when it's defined and is expanded every time the 
variable is used.

All other aspects are just side-effects of this single difference.

I do agree that the terms "recursive variable" and "simple variable"
are misleading and/or not very informative.  These terms have been used in the 
docs since it was created.