- From: Kevin Benson <kevin.m.benson@gmail.com>
- Date: Sun, 16 Aug 2009 00:18:19 -0400
On Sat, Aug 15, 2009 at 10:11 PM, Aryeh Gregor<Simetrical+w3c at gmail.com> wrote: > > I do agree that "comparison operator" sounds a little weird in this > context. I can't really put my finger on why, though, That might be because the typical use for the word "comparison" is as... a _noun_ ( not an adjective :) > or think of a better term. The logical grammar correction for the two words already there, would _seem_ to be: "comparative[1] operations[2]" > I think it's harmless, anyway, and not worth wasting much time on > given the amount of real work to be done. > Indeed. An explanation[3] of the word "operator" or the realm[3] of "operational procedures"...can be _quite_ complex. ;) -- -- -- -- ???? K e V i N /?????????\ On Sat, Aug 15, 2009 at 9:16 AM, Elliotte Rusty Harold<elharo at ibiblio.org> wrote: > On Sat, Aug 15, 2009 at 4:40 AM, Ian Hickson<ian at hixie.ch> wrote: >> On Mon, 10 Aug 2009, Elliotte Rusty Harold wrote: >>> >>> "This specification defines several comparison operators for strings." >>> >>> Really, operators? Is this the right word here? Maybe it should be >>> "several comparison operations on strings" or "several possible >>> comparisons for strings. >> >> What's wrong with operators? They are literally functions that the rest of >> the spec uses, it seems like the right word here. > > > A function is not an operator. According to Wikipedia, "In > mathematics, an operator is a function which operates on (or modifies) > another function." A comparison is an operation on strings (data), not > on other functions. > > In traditional programming languages such as Java and C, an operator > is usually a language defined symbol, and occasionally a user defined > symbol. That also doesn't apply here. For instance, in Java, > "operators are special symbols that perform specific operations on > one, two, or three operands, and then return a result." > > What you're describing is likely a function or perhaps an operation, > but I don't think it's an operator in the commonly understood senses > of the term amongst the people likely to be reading this spec. > > -- > Elliotte Rusty Harold > elharo at ibiblio.org > [1] http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/comparative [2] http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/operations [3] http://books.google.com/books?id=rhvDiOxOUe4C&lpg=PA341&pg=PA340
Received on Saturday, 15 August 2009 21:18:19 UTC