Need opinions on @section/var

I need help and opinions on how @section/var (and #section/var) syntax
should function. As a reminder, it refers to the value of a variable as
it exists in another section.

Now, the problem is this. It is not possible during parsing time to
resolve whether the section name specified by the construct exists. The
validation can be done only after the whole template is parsed. However,
several issues come into play.

1) What if there are no sections with that name? Obviously, it should
output some sort of error, but I think it should not abandon execution
and should instead treat @section/var simply as @var.

2) What if there is more than one section with that name? Which one
should it use? The first one?

3) Would it ever be useful for this construct to have forward
references, i.e. you use @sec2/var and 'sec2' is 40 lines down the page?

4) Another option is when @section/var is encountered at parsing time it
would check only those sections that have been defined so far to see
whether the name is there. This does not allow forward references, but,
like I said, it might not be useful.

Another issue I wanted to mention is that #TOTAL is going to be valid
only inside the section and after it. Example:

{ section sec1 }
	Category: $category
	{ section sec2 }
		Headline: $headline
	{ /section }
{ /section }

The #TOTAL for sec2 is going to be undefined the first time Category is
printed. It will be calculated only when we enter sec2 and also after
it, the second time Category is printed. Basically, #TOTAL is calculated
each time you enter the section and it's persistent afterwards until the
next time. I hope it's not an inconvenience.

-Andrei
* I wish life had an UNDO function. *