I did once ask a fellow, knowledgable programmer if the distinction between function and operator in conventional languages in fact meant "with which alphabet do you spell it?" If it's a plain old ASCII name, like "plus", it's a function; a symbol like "+" is an operator, even if both tokens behave exactly the same. Ultimately not a particularly illuminating distinction.
On Wed, Mar 7, 2018 at 10:56 PM, Ian Clark <earthspo...@gmail.com> wrote: > > it does not match my understanding of how standards bodies work > > However they work, they don't seem to produce a leading answer to a leading > question. > > Before posting my appeal, I googled variants of "ISO computer terminology". > I got the impression there were over 30 ISO committees dealing with aspects > of this topic, including the vexed one of translating computer manuals. I > gave up and asked this forum if anyone could recommend the leading (ISO) > source of common terms, like: platform, program, etc. (…hey! – I've just > reduxed my original post.) > > It seems nobody can. I might as well have asked the Freemasons their > meaning of "secret society". > > > that does not match my understanding of how language use works > > What hope is there of dialog with someone if you don't agree on basic > terms? > That's my understanding of how language use works. Or doesn't. > > Yet here I am, setting out (…yet again) to talk to non-J initiates about J > – and I want to use words which I know they'll understand, like: variable, > constant, function – and I want to avoid words like noun, verb, pronoun, > proverb – because that's all J mystery jargon. > > Don't I need a touchstone of definitions my reader and I will agree on? > > To-date I've come up with these candidates: > (a) The Oxford Dictionary (…nowadays better than I expected it to be, > going by past experience) > (b) The following site: http://techterms.com > …which is cool. Just what I was looking for. But lacks the authority of an > ISO standard. > > Also (…oh no!) I look up a word like: Constant –and I don't agree with what > it says… > https://techterms.com/definition/constant > In the final para it seems to be describing #define, not: const (…if you > know any C/C++). > Plus no mention of IMHO the chief role of a "constant": to behave > programatically like a variable but preclude reassignment. > Thus scotching the perennial C/C++ bug: > if (myconst = x) { … } > > Also, on the home page, "Today's Quiz Question" is garbled… not a good sign > for something purporting to be authoritative. > > Can anyone do better? > > …there, now I've described exactly what I'm looking for. > > On Tue, Mar 6, 2018 at 6:27 PM, Raul Miller <rauldmil...@gmail.com> wrote: > > > I do not think that "common usage" depends on ISO standards. > > > > Or, at least, that does not match my understanding of how language use > > works (and, for that matter, it does not match my understanding of how > > standards bodies work). > > > > Thanks, > > > > -- > > Raul > > > > > > On Tue, Mar 6, 2018 at 11:42 AM, Ian Clark <earthspo...@gmail.com> > wrote: > > > Sorry, Joe, I want "common programmer terms" for "platform, program, > > etc", > > > i.e. terms common to all programmers, not just J-ers. > > > > > > Especially not J-ers! > > > > > > I tried looking up some of these terms in the Oxford Dictionary of > > English > > > (courtesy Apple) and I'm impressed. It seems it has authoritative but > > > straightforward meanings under the subheading "Computing" for all I've > > tried > > > . > > > > > > But I'm still hoping to hear what ISO standard people on this list use, > > or > > > some standards body. I'm taking the baffled silence to mean that nobody > > has > > > ever used such a list. The fabled precision of IT professionals doesn't > > > extend to terminology, it seems. > > > > > > Such lists exist. I've seen them – though only in German, and that was > > > decades ago. Documenters need them for the purpose of translating > > manuals. > > > Though maybe the whole thing is still woolly, like it was in my day. An > > > Arab once told me he always used the English manual because he couldn't > > > make head or tail of the Arabic one. > > > > > > On Tue, Mar 6, 2018 at 2:57 PM, Joe Bogner <joebog...@gmail.com> > wrote: > > > > > >> I went back and looked at some of the existing material > > >> > > >> This seems to be a good list of definitions with examples: > > >> http://www.jsoftware.com/help/primer/contents.htm > > >> > > >> This text seems devoid of too many terms: > > >> http://www.jsoftware.com/books/pdf/easyj.pdf > > >> > > >> Of course, I'm not reading these with "beginner eyes" so both may > still > > >> need to be unpacked more > > >> > > >> On Tue, Mar 6, 2018 at 7:28 AM, Ian Clark <earthspo...@gmail.com> > > wrote: > > >> > > >> > It's absurdly difficult to write a good "first-contact" text for J > > >> without > > >> > reference to a single accepted source of definitions like: platform, > > >> > program, app, script, variable, constant, function, array, string, > > >> > character, number … > > >> > > > >> > Is there an ISO standard for common programmer terms (in English)? > > >> > > > >> > If the answer is: legion (…my first impression) – then is there one > > that > > >> > stands out for you? > > >> > > > >> > I have an operational need for a weblink to a good clear published > > free > > >> > authoritative text. To avoid cluttering this thread, please don't > > offer > > >> > your own definitions of the above terms here (although of course I'd > > be > > >> > frightfully interested to hear them one day.) > > >> > ------------------------------------------------------------ > > ---------- > > >> > For information about J forums see http://www.jsoftware.com/ > > forums.htm > > >> ------------------------------------------------------------ > ---------- > > >> For information about J forums see http://www.jsoftware.com/ > forums.htm > > >> > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > For information about J forums see http://www.jsoftware.com/forums.htm > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > For information about J forums see http://www.jsoftware.com/forums.htm > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > For information about J forums see http://www.jsoftware.com/forums.htm > -- Devon McCormick, CFA Quantitative Consultant ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For information about J forums see http://www.jsoftware.com/forums.htm