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From: mfb@mbunix.mitre.org (Michael F Brenner)
Subject: Re: _Type (was: Re: An array of records within an array of records
 (Still a problem))
Date: 1998/05/08
Message-ID: <6itm87$8m7@top.mitre.org>#1/1
X-Deja-AN: 351286950
References: <6ifs4p$fl8@lotho.delphi.com> <354DF790.B61E09F7@gsfc.nasa.gov>
 <354FB3A5.4522@atlas.otago.ac.nz> <35508D3F.4CB@watson.ibm.com>
Organization: The MITRE Corporation, Bedford Mass.
Newsgroups: comp.lang.ada
Date: 1998-05-08T00:00:00+00:00
List-Id: <comp.lang.ada>



   > ... the colon could be read as IS A
   > ... the colon could be read is IS OF

It is commendible that both of these philosophies are attempting
to read the computer statements as English sentences (or French
or Russian or Sanskrit) as well they should.

The readings of IS A and IS OF finally explain why people have
different opinions as to HOW to read them as sentences. 

Of course the original and, IMO, the best philosophy is to read
the colon as IS OF TYPE, which leads types to be either plurals or
classlike words.

It is surprizing and very pleasing that most of those who disagree
with me have good reasons and a rational explanation for their opinions.

The reason I think the plurals is the best is that they ALSO read 
as English sentences in array definitions, array declarations, and
other constructs in which computer science is derived from mathematical
set theory (only finitized in space and time dimensions). That is,
the computer has a finite amount of memory and a finite amount of time
to complete.