Re: Type problem, any suggestion?

[Simon Wright <simon@pogner.demon.co.uk>]

=?iso-8859-1?Q?Jos=E9=20Mar=EDa=20=C1lvarez?= Palomo  <alvarezp@lcc.uma.es> writes:

> This exercise had to implement a generic ADT (for example a stack) and
> to implement a procedure library to widen the ADT functinality (for
> example, a procedure to know the length of a stack).
> I think your solution it is a very smart way to do it, but I am afraid
> it will be difficult to make students understand it.

Yes, I see what you mean!

If you aren't too concerned with the details (I suppose this depends
on whether you want the students to come up with a solution on their
own!), you might say something like

  there is a package gen_dat which we can instantiate for any type
  (eg, integer, float, you-name-it)

  there is an extension of gen_dat called dat_lib (BTW, these names
  seem a little vague to me!)

  if you're going to make a new dat_lib you have to refer to a proper
  instantiation of gen_dat (one that uses the appropriate type)

  and you need to mention the type as well in the instantiation of
  dat_lib to round things off

(I think the last point could be better expressed)