Re: Q: access to subprogram

[mfeldman@seas.gwu.edu (Michael Feldman)]

In article <dewar.837456126@schonberg>, Robert Dewar <dewar@cs.nyu.edu> wrote:

>(I suspect you meant MOOT as in "doesn't matter any more", but that is not
>what the word means in traditional usage, although I agree this US usage
>is (unfortunately) getting very common)

The English and the Americans are two people separated by a common
language. (Shaw?)

Actually, the "unfortunate" US usage of "moot" is quite normal in
legal circles, and has been for a long time. Courts will use the term
to mean a legal issue they don't have to worry about deciding, because
the conditions in the suit were overtaken by events, or some other
such cause.

Law schools have a ritual they call "moot court", which is essentially
a simulated courtroom drama, where students debate each other to get
practice for doing so in real courtrooms. I think both senses of "moot"
apply here - it is a court where things are debated, but it doesn't
matter what the outcome is (well, except maybe for a student's grade.:-))

Your 1-man crusade to hold back the tide is (in both senses) moot.:-)

Mike Feldman