Document the behaviour of infinite iterators on potentially-computable methods
It’s not entirely clear from the current documentation what behaviour calling a method such as `min` on an infinite iterator like `RangeFrom` is. One might expect this to terminate, but in fact, for infinite iterators, `min` is always nonterminating (at least in the standard library). This adds a quick note about this behaviour for clarification.
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@ -24,6 +24,10 @@ fn _assert_is_object_safe(_: &Iterator<Item=()>) {}
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/// This is the main iterator trait. For more about the concept of iterators
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/// generally, please see the [module-level documentation]. In particular, you
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/// may want to know how to [implement `Iterator`][impl].
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///
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/// Note: Methods on infinite iterators that generally require traversing every
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/// element to produce a result may not terminate, even on traits for which a
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/// result is determinable in finite time.
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///
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/// [module-level documentation]: index.html
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/// [impl]: index.html#implementing-iterator
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@ -297,8 +297,22 @@
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//! ```
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//!
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//! This will print the numbers `0` through `4`, each on their own line.
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//!
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//! Bear in mind that methods on infinite iterators, even those for which a
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//! result can be computed in finite time, may not terminate. Specifically,
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//! methods such as [`min`], which in the general case require traversing
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//! every element in the iterator, are likely never to terminate for any
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//! infinite iterators.
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//!
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//! ```
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//! let positives = 1..;
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//! let least = positives.min().unwrap(); // Oh no! An infinite loop!
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//! // `positives.min` causes an infinite loop, so we won't reach this point!
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//! println!("The least positive number is {}.", least);
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//! ```
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//!
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//! [`take`]: trait.Iterator.html#method.take
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//! [`min`]: trait.Iterator.html#method.min
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#![stable(feature = "rust1", since = "1.0.0")]
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