IMNSHO, if the scope of the use of the interface is limited to one
application or one shop then the conventions of the shop or product
should be observed;  however, if this interface is for Rexx or ooRexx
users only and will be made available to the community at large, then
use the Rexx convention.  My own rule in cases like this is to use the
users' conventions, not the called code's conventions.  It is generally
easier to adjust indexes and subscripts in the target interface code. I
am doing a lot of COBOL-to-C stuff and I have the C code adjust the
values.    

C programmers can take care of themselves (and their code).
 

-----Original Message-----
From: David Ashley [mailto:[email protected]] 
Sent: Saturday, January 09, 2010 10:43
To: ooRexxDevel
Subject: [Oorexx-devel] Opinions Wanted

All -

I am working on an ooRexx interface to something that is normally 
programmed in C. Of course, C uses zero-based indexes for thing like 
memory, array positions, etc. My code could be architected to either 
carry this forward to the ooRexx interface when it calls the C functions

or it could translate the zero-based numbers to the more user friendly 
(and Rexx default) one-based numbering system.

I have mixed emotions on this. On the one hand I much prefer the 
one-based system that Rexx uses. On the other hand, C programmers who 
have programmed to this interface in the past will be more comfortable 
with the zero-based numbering system. But I also want to bring in those 
C and Perl programmers into the Rexx arena and that means having them 
get used to a one-based system.

Also, all the documentation and examples for the system I am interfacing

to ooRexx is for C and Perl programmers. Thus all those docs and 
examples are zero-based meaning that translating the examples to Rexx 
involves some updating of the source program number constants.

So I really am of two minds about this. In the past I have always leaned

to making things easiest for the Rexx programmer but this case has made 
me rethink that idea. I am now questioning my assumptions and I want 
some other opinions before I proceed too far.

Thank,
David Ashley

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