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Date: Wed, 04 Jun 2003 16:00:24 -0400
From: Hyman Rosen <hyrosen@mail.com>
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Subject: Re: Case sensitivity (was Re: no title)
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Date: 2003-06-04T16:00:24-04:00
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Jim Rogers wrote:
> In an Ada program I would expect values corresponding to an
> acronym to be defined as enumeration values. Variables should
> not be named after an acronym. Acronyms have a constant value.
> Variables have variable values. Acronyms map more correctly to
> enumeration values in Ada and C++, or constants in either language,
> than to variables.

If my Iraq-bound bomber has a single very large explosive device
on it, I don't see any reason why the type describing that device
shouldn't be called 'MOAB' and why its single instance object
shouldn't be called 'moab'.

If I'm serializing some objects to a file, I don't see why I
shouldn't do
     enum { SNAP, CRACKLE, POP };
     void serialize(stream &o, const Snap &v)    { o << SNAP    << v; }
     void serialize(stream &o, const Crackle &v) { o << CRACKLE << v; }
     void serialize(stream &o, const Pop &v)     { o << POP     << v; }

> It takes full advantage of case sensitivity, which C and C++ deem good.

We want to take advantage of case sensitivity in a good way,
using the commonality of spelling but the distinction of case
as a way of communicating with the reader of the code. Ada
cannot mandate a good choice of names, but has prevented a
potential good choice of names on the grounds of trying to
eliminate one small set of possible bad choices. I don't buy
that argument at all.


> The compiler may have a different opinion of the meaning of an
 > identifier than does the human reader of the code. Such differences
 > of opinion can be problematic.

But that happens as soon as any overloading, or even hiding,
is allowed.