From: Jeffrey Carter <jrcarter@acm.org>
Subject: Re: Abstract methods in ADA95
Date: Sat, 19 Oct 2002 18:40:29 GMT
Date: 2002-10-19T18:40:29+00:00 [thread overview]
Message-ID: <3DB1A736.7000506@acm.org> (raw)
In-Reply-To: Zocs9.9144$qM2.2870@sccrnsc02
SteveD wrote:
> "Jeffrey Carter" <jrcarter@acm.org> wrote in message
> news:3DB0785A.1040304@acm.org...
>
>>There are no "methods", either in abstract terminology or actual
>>programming languages. AFAIKS, "method" is a new name for an old concept
>>made up to muddy the waters by people who were trying to present old
>>concepts as something new that they'd invented.
>
> Still not convinced? Try:
>
> http://www.dictionary.com/search?q=method
Four fifths of your references disagree with you.
>
> I don't know what you consider new. I learned this terminolgy in the early
> 80's, in computing thats a long time ago (man that makes me feel old). As
> for new names for old concepts... that's exactly how our language works. It
> is dynamic. For example the term "gay" used in the Flinstones theme has a
> completely different meaning than what it has today.
Still not convinced? Try "subprogram" at
http://www.m-w.com/dictionary
It dates from 1947. Coming up with a new word for the same thing more
than 30 years later counts as new in my book. I first encountered
subprogram in the 1970s when I learned Pascal.
Yes, the English language is malleable and ambiguous, but in software
engineering precise and unambiguous are the keys to success. Look at the
space shuttle software (1 error in 400 KLOC): Precise, unambiguous
specifications are an important part of their success. To discuss
technical matters we should not use ambiguous terms.
Inventing new terms for well established, existing ideas adds ambiguity.
In software engineering, that is irresponsible, if not unethical. Using
such terms compounds that irresponsibility. I was appalled at "method"
when I first encountered it in the early 1980s and I continue to refuse
to use it.
Besides, I never get such long, interesting conversations when I agree
with people.
--
Jeff Carter
"Sheriff murdered, crops burned, stores looted,
people stampeded, and cattle raped."
Blazing Saddles
next prev parent reply other threads:[~2002-10-19 18:40 UTC|newest]
Thread overview: 39+ messages / expand[flat|nested] mbox.gz Atom feed top
2002-10-17 13:36 Abstract methods in ADA95 Hector Hugo
2002-10-17 14:39 ` Lutz Donnerhacke
2002-10-17 14:50 ` David C. Hoos
2002-10-17 14:57 ` Preben Randhol
2002-10-17 14:56 ` Preben Randhol
2002-10-17 16:18 ` Matthew Heaney
2002-10-17 19:26 ` Jeffrey Carter
2002-10-17 19:41 ` David C. Hoos
2002-10-17 20:34 ` Georg Bauhaus
2002-10-18 13:56 ` Frank J. Lhota
2002-10-18 0:40 ` Robert A Duff
2002-10-18 21:05 ` Jeffrey Carter
2002-10-18 22:00 ` Robert A Duff
2002-10-21 14:46 ` Wes Groleau
2002-10-18 3:13 ` SteveD
2002-10-18 14:44 ` Robert A Duff
2002-10-18 21:15 ` Dale Stanbrough
2002-10-18 21:08 ` Jeffrey Carter
2002-10-18 21:23 ` David C. Hoos
2002-10-18 21:37 ` Jeffrey Carter
2002-10-18 22:08 ` Robert A Duff
2002-10-21 15:03 ` Peter Amey
2002-10-21 15:04 ` Wes Groleau
2002-10-18 22:10 ` Robert A Duff
2002-10-19 12:40 ` SteveD
2002-10-19 18:40 ` Jeffrey Carter [this message]
2002-10-21 15:34 ` Martin Dowie
2002-10-21 19:37 ` Jeffrey Carter
2002-10-22 11:59 ` Georg Bauhaus
2002-10-22 12:24 ` Marin David Condic
2002-10-23 9:29 ` Martin Dowie
2002-10-23 10:36 ` Ed Falis
2002-10-23 10:37 ` Preben Randhol
2002-10-23 12:54 ` John English
2002-10-23 13:48 ` Martin Dowie
[not found] ` <aornkp$mpf$1@bob.news.rcn.net>
2002-10-19 18:54 ` Crapper (was: Re: Abstract methods in ADA95) Jeffrey Carter
2002-10-21 17:57 ` Abstract methods in ADA95 Programmer Dude
2002-10-21 18:58 ` Jim Rogers
2002-10-21 14:49 ` Wes Groleau
replies disabled
This is a public inbox, see mirroring instructions
for how to clone and mirror all data and code used for this inbox