KennyTM~ wrote:
On Feb 21, 10 10:04, Justin Johansson wrote:
Nick Sabalausky wrote:
- std.random.dice (it is a discrete distribution...)
What's wrong with dice?
I like it, but I can definitely understand that some people might find
its meaning too indirect. Maybe "std.random.discrete" or
"std.random.even" or "std.random.regular" or somethingliek that?
If cuteness in a word is at all a relevant factor in deciding upon
a name how about
std.random.dip
Justin's etymology of "dip":
1. Derived from "lucky dip", meaning to draw an item (often a prize)
randomly from a container (often a barrel at a fair or carnival).
2. Derived by contraction of serendipity or serendipitous.
The idea of generating a "serendipitous number" as opposed to generating
(just a) PORN (Plain Old Random Number) by all measures has got to be
cute. Just so happens, serendipitous in fact, that "serendipitous" is
one of my favorite words. It's also a pure fluke that the acronym for
Plain Old Random Number turns out be what it is .. I was thinking of
Plain Old Java Object POJO when that came to mind. :-)
See also (the first link is quite an interesting read)
http://serendipity.ruwenzori.net/index.php/2006/12/03/seredipitous-etymology
http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=Serendipity
Cheers
Justin Johansson
I think any function names that needs to tell user a story or dictionary
definition before knowing why it is chosen is a bad name.
Sorry; I didn't mean this "suggestion" to be taken too seriously; just
a little (possibly lame) humour and an ultra-subtle parody on
choosing library names based upon their cuteness factor or how much
they "rock".
I couldn't agree more that the meaning of function names should be
self-evident (at least to a reasonable degreee) without having to
consult a dictionary.
For me, Norbert Nemec pretty much sums it up in his spin-off
thread "Design of intuitive interfaces".
