In C++, such a thing is called a template (which may be an object or a function), and the style of programming is called generic programming.
I guess what you're objecing to is that these technical uses of the terms do not seem to relate all that well to the usual English meanings of the terms. PS, your example 3 seems to indicate that the standard C library sort function is one of these, even thought its just a function. However, the standard C++ sort function is actually a template, and far more generally useful than the C version, which is also available as a particular overload. On Mon, Sep 07, 2009 at 12:14:31PM -0700, Russ Abbott wrote: > This is to the programmers on this list. > > I'm looking for a word that refers generically to software that is open to > virtually object in its host language. The best way for me to explain it is > with examples. > > - In Java, the various collection classes each have this property. A List > can be a list of anything. (Note that this isn’t about generics such as > List<type>. It’s about the fact that the List functionality does not limit > the sorts of things one can put into a list. Typed lists are simply a way > of > ensuring that a program gets its types right. That's a separate > consideration.) > > > - Other examples include map and reduce in functional programming. They > are open if not to anything at least to lists of any sort and to functions > or any sort that operate on elements in those lists. > > > - Another example is a genetic algorithm in that it does not limit the > function that is used as a fitness function or the possible population > elements. Again, these can be anything. > > So is there a generic word for software with this sort of "downwardly open" > property? > > It may be something like "structural" in that the software defines an > operational structure but not the elements that occupy the structure. Is > there any commonly used word for this? > > -- Russ > > P.S. This demonstrates that one can have an idea before having a word for > the idea. > ============================================================ > FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv > Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College > lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org -- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Prof Russell Standish Phone 0425 253119 (mobile) Mathematics UNSW SYDNEY 2052 [email protected] Australia http://www.hpcoders.com.au ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ============================================================ FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org
