I haven't done any serious programming since before
"software engineering" started promoting programmers
in their own eyes, and I've never been a professional
mathematician. Do I qualify ?
In any case I would make two comments.
I taught J for a decade or more and can't recall any
problems with fixed origin 0 either in teaching or
in student project work. On the contrary, I recall
several instances of students exclaiming at how
natural/useful/surprising it was.
Index origin 1 was responsible for world-wide
celebration of the turn of the millennium one year
early, which rather spoilt it for those of a numeric
bent.
By the way, the mention of Edsgar Dijkstra in
connection with J/APL is rather ironic. He was
a rabid opponent of APL and I was told that he
was heard at in international conference that
APL would never be used in Holland while he was
around to stop it.
Neville Holmes, P.O. Box 2412, Bakery Hill 3354, Victoria
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