consider syntax change: `[]` vs `{}`

[nikodemus]

Currently [] is always an array, whereas {} is sometimes a block, sometimes a dictionary, sometimes a record...

Blocks are absolutely central. I think it might be a good idea to reserve either for them, and have the other one be the non-block object constructor workhorse.

eg:

[ :x | x abs ]                  --> Smalltalky block

{ foo = bar, quux = zot }         --> Record

{ "foo" -> bar, "quux" -> zot } --> Dictionary

{ foo bar, quux zot }           --> Array

Even more so, if -> becomes an association operator (or syntax), specific dictionary syntax can be replaced with:

{ "foo" -> bar, "quux" -> zot } asDictionary

Records and arrays are far more fundamental than dictionaries - though making non-syntax like that makes actual literal immutable dictionaries a tricky proposition -- but there should be syntax to allow compile-time construction of literal objects anyhow (in addition to define).