Re: Suffix _T for types found good

[Gary Scott <garylscott@sbcglobal.net>]

Ray Blaak wrote:

> Martin <martin.dowie@btopenworld.com> writes:
> 
>>Ah, but "a" (or "an_") are 'indefinite articles' in English (which
>>this is obviously trying to replicate), i.e. they don't specify any
>>particular instance. A variable does specify a particulary instance,
>>so using "a_"/"an_" for them is wrong. "better names" are what are
>>always called for :-)
>>
>>The_Buffer : A_Buffer;
> 
> 
> A type is not an indefinite instance either, or any instance at all. A type is
> a contract specifying behaviour and storage.
> 
> My suspicion is that this is motivated so that it reads better in English,
> e.g. "the buffer is a buffer".
> 
> Unfortunately, this is not the semantics of the programming language. The
> semantics are:
> 
>   "The_Buffer" is now in scope, and its type is "Buffer".
> 
> This is more succinctly expressed as:
> 
>   The_Buffer : Buffer
> 
> As programmers we are quite used to understanding code. We are required to
> keep things readable *and* accurate.
> 
> 
>>I've used (and mandated) the "A_"/"An_" prefixes on a few projects and
>>it does work quite well and read fine.
> 
> 
> Well, there you go. Use it as you like if it works for you, but I can't stand
> it.
> 

It is very common to use naming conventions to lessen the ambituity, 
especially when it is likely to be interpreted by users of other 
programming languages.  Ada isn't always as readable (conversational) as 
some other languages.

-- 

Gary Scott
mailto:garylscott@sbcglobal dot net

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