Re: [boost] [string] proposal

Subject: Re: [boost] [string] proposal
From: Artyom (artyomtnk_at_[hidden])
Date: 2011-01-29 10:44:28

> >
> >>> You know  what...
> >>>
> >>> I'd really like your data structure if  you were not
> >>> calling it string but rather bytes chunk or  immutable
> >>> bytes array.
> >>>
> >>> What you  are suggesting has noting to do with text,
> >>> and I don't  understand how do you fail to see this.
> >>>
> >>
> >>  I don't know if you're not a native English speaker or whether you
> >>  just really think strings are just for text.
> >
> > First of all, in  programming languages (at least the 20 or so that I master 
>and in which I have  developed software professionally), the notion of 'string' 
>is that of text (and  in some languages 'string' is nothing more than an alias 
>for an array/vector of  characters.)
> >
> > But your intention is to use your "string" for  other types of elements, 
>i.e., to be what is called a 'vector' in C++, albeit  immutable. No?
> >
> 
> NO.
> 
> I wonder where you got that notion. I  framed the discussion around my
> definition of `string` to be a sequence. In  that context (in an
> earlier post) I was basically saying "a string is a data  structure for
> holding things, [FOR EXAMPLE] a string of events, a string  of
> characters, ..." just to frame the definition properly and  identify
> that I was talking about a data structure.
> 

I'm sorry:

Let's see:

- Java String - one meaning text, UTF-16 encoded
- C# string - one meaning text, UTF-16 encoded
- C++/GTKmm ustring - one meaning text, UTF-8 encoded
- C++/Qt QString - one meaning text, UTF-16 encoded
- C++/wxWidgets wxString - one meaning text, Unicode (don't remember encoding 
type)
- Vala string - text UTF-8 encoded
- Python 3 str[ing] - text UTF-16 ot UTF-32 encoded

Is this clear enough? 

When you say string you mean TEXT not more not less.

And yes in C++ you can store arbitrary date in char buffers
or in std::string, but this does not change the meaning
of string word - it means "text"

Don't try to reinvent the meaning of string word in CS context.
It is not about English, it is about concept.

Artyom