That leaves a lot of ground uncovered. -- Raul
On Mon, Apr 23, 2012 at 1:02 PM, km <[email protected]> wrote: > From the Dictionary II.A. Nouns, "The atoms of any array must belong to a > single class: numeric, literal, symbol, or boxed." > > How about saying the type of a noun is numeric, literal, symbol, or boxed. > Leave it at that. > > Sent from my iPad > > > On Apr 23, 2012, at 8:24 AM, Raul Miller <[email protected]> wrote: > >> "Type" has been an ill-defined term in the context of J. >> >> But it's a popular word, for describing some aspects of computer >> programs, and a short word. So it probably deserves some use. >> >> And, I think, in the context of J, it should signify a thing that can >> go inside parenthesis. That concept needs a name, and I think "type" >> fits it rather well. >> >> Thus, we have system types: (1)(+)(1) >> >> We have named types: (smoutput)(ARGV) >> >> We have anonymous types: (+/%#) (i.9) >> >> We have types of nouns, types of verbs and so on. >> >> We have numeric types, textual types, list types (and these can >> overlap), and so on. >> >> etc. >> >> Now, one thing that this loses is the idea of a type as a >> collection... or does it? (1 2 3 4) >> >> No, what this loses is the idea of a type as a representation of >> possibilities... or does it? ? bind 100 >> >> No, what this loses is the idea of a type as a storage format. But >> when I have proposed the idea that "type" represents a storage format, >> I have been told that that's silly, by people who would be in a >> position to know. >> >> Another concept of a type is that it represents a "domain", but that >> has a similar lack of acceptance from people that deal with types on a >> regular basis. >> >> Anyways, if my proposal here has any flaws, I think it's that this >> definition of "type" might be too restrictive for some people. But I >> think that that is ok -- you can use another language if you want to >> use a different concept of type. >> >> Comments? >> >> Thanks, >> >> -- >> Raul >> ---------------------------------------------------------------------- >> 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
