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From: jwo@netcom.com (John Olson)
Subject: Re: Constness/constancy.. let's not sink into Newspeak...
Date: 1996/04/12
Message-ID: <316dc7e0.5072318@10.0.2.1>#1/1
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references: <4k3squ$t1d@nuacht.iol.ie> <4k7lqa$k05@hermes.acs.unt.edu>
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On 08 Apr 1996 10:15:24 PDT, johnw@jove.acs.unt.edu (John R. Williams)
wrote:

>David Byrden (Goyra@iol.ie) wrote:
>>      The draft standard uses 'constness' several times. There is already a 
>> perfectly suitable English word, 'constancy', which removes the need for 
>> this recently invented, rather crude word. Why give it the stamp of 
>> approval?
>
>Constness and constancy are not the same. Specifically, constness is a 
>means of enforcing constancy. Besides, forming new words like this is a 
>time-honored tradition (as much as anything in the programming community 
>can be considered 'time-honored', I suppose).
>

I thought that I could stay out of this discussion, but ....

I must agree, but it goes beyond programming languages.
The English language (with which C++ intersects) is indeed a language
of borrowed, mangled, massaged, and glued together bits.  This is both
a strength and a weakness.  I am, however, personally glad of this
feature because I shudder at the thought of saying "tree, tree, tree"
instead of "forest" like another language that I know.

So, in homage to the word "ain't" and some dastardly cases of exact
synonyms I welcome "constness".  (As though the world would stop
turning based on my opinion.)


John Olson
jwo@netcom.com
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