Subject: Re: New XT release From: Paul Prescod <paul@xxxxxxxxxxx> Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1999 12:46:12 -0500 |
> G. Ken Holman] > >You can calculate and bind values to variables (a bit of a misnomer since > >they can't vary!) within a given (let) scope, you can bind a fixed value to > >a top level variable, but you can't change the value of a variable once > bound. [Frank Christoph] > I can't resist replying to your appalling suggestion that "variable" is a > misnomer here. > If I write, for example, > > (define x 6) > > then I am saying that 1) x is a DSSSL variable, and hence it varies over > the set of DSSSL values, and 2) its _value_ happens to be the constant, 6. There is something too subtle for me to follow there. x does not vary. It is "6". Is c as in e=mc^2 a variable or a constant? In terms of type theory its type may be "real number" and thus from a type system point of view one could say that it could be any real number. But in this universe it can only ever take one value -- thus we call it a constant. Perhaps from Frank's point of view, named constants are a special case of "variables." If so, then I still say that we should use the more precise word "constant" in XSL. This will save hundreds of questions about "how do I change the value of the variable?" -- Paul Prescod - ISOGEN Consulting Engineer speaking for only himself http://itrc.uwaterloo.ca/~papresco "The Excursion [Sport Utility Vehicle] is so large that it will come equipped with adjustable pedals to fit smaller drivers and sensor devices that warn the driver when he or she is about to back into a Toyota or some other object." -- Dallas Morning News XSL-List info and archive: http://www.mulberrytech.com/xsl/xsl-list
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