Re: Clarifying the terms "inputs" and "outputs"

On Wed, Jan 16, 2013 at 3:22 PM, Robert O'Callahan <robert@ocallahan.org>wrote:

> The spec uses the terms "inputs" and "outputs" in various places. These
> terms are ambiguous and in fact are used to mean different things in
> different places:
> * Sometimes a node N's "inputs" and "outputs" mean "ports" to which other
> nodes could be connected. This is the normal meaning. For example a
> GainNode's numberOfInputs is 1 no matter how many nodes are connected to it.
> * Sometimes a node N's "inputs" and "outputs" mean nodes connected to N.
> For example, in section 4.13 the phrase " "the synthesized data if there
> are no inputs" refers to nodes, not input ports.
>
> Both of these interpretations are quite natural and people have gotten
> confused about this. I think it would help to use the term "input ports"
> for the former and "input nodes" for the latter and to be careful never to
> use the ambiguous term "inputs" alone. If people are happy with the "input
> port" terminology then we might also want to change the
> numberOfInputs/Outputs attribute names to numberOfInput/OutputPorts. (As I
> understand it, these are seldom used currently so we probably can change
> their names.)
>
>
I've tried to adopt the terminology "input" to mean what you call "input
port".  In the other case, I've been making an effort to use the word
"connection".  I'm happy to fix the areas in the spec to refer to
"connection".


> Rob
> --
> Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the
> Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority
> over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among
> you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your
> slave — just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve,
> and to give his life as a ransom for many.” [Matthew 20:25-28]
>