Re: [boost] Re: algorithms namespace

From: Peter Dimov (pdimov_at_[hidden])
Date: 2004-02-23 07:18:41

Dave Gomboc wrote:
>> Well. It's actually the opposite. Because English is
>> (presumably) your first language, you prefer the
>> non-abbreviated "filesystem" over "fs". From the perspective
>> of someone who doesn't "think in English", the two have
>> pretty much the same inherent value, i.e. they are arbitrary
>> identifiers.
>
> From the perspective of this English-speaking software developer, I
> recognize filesystem, and I also know what fs means.  Furthermore, the
> first time I hear "fs", I imagine that I was able to guess from the
> context it was used in that fs means filesystem.
>
> From the perspective of a developer who knows English but whose native
> tongue is not English, filesystem is understandable, because the
> component words, file and system, either are known or are looked up
> in a translation dictionary.  "fs", on the other hand, is
> incomprehensible without supporting documentation.
>
>> A mental mapping translates these identifiers
>> into the entities they represent. Since the extra letters in
>> the longer identifier do not add any semantic value to
>> non-English speakers, they are merely clutter and do not
>> contribute to readability.
>
> You're missing the point -- the extra letters *do* add semantic value
> to those who speak English, but not as a first language. [...]

Trying to explain to me how a developer with English as a second/third
language perceives things is somewhat pointless. ;-)