On Fri, Apr 23, 2010 at 02:58:50PM -0400, Ted Unangst wrote:
quoted text >
> I see no reason to prefer hyphenated, but I'm modern like that.
> Wikipedia tells me that the Oxford dictionary deleted 16000 hyphens
> recently.
>
especially where we invent new terms, there is a tendency to hyphenate.
i'm guilty of that too. it's not great though.
quoted text > As for nul, null, NUL, and NULL, here's my view, as I come up with it.
>
> NULL is the C constant. It is a noun.
> null is an adjective in the English language.
>
> The C standard says nothing at all about nul or NUL. '__PLACEHOLDER__1_' is called
> the null character. [Basically, the C standard is written in English
> and uses English words to describe things.]
>
> As a practical matter, I think it makes (a tiny bit of) sense to
> invent a new constant name NUL different from NULL. But the
> similarity does confuse people. And nul is a made up word. It
> doesn't exist. Can't use that. But always using NUL is too hard on
> the eyes.
>
> I doubt changing things is worth the bother, but using
> "null-terminated" or "null terminated" would be consistent with the C
> standard. I'd say the standard is pretty close to an unassailable
> authority on C termiology.
we've been down this road a few times before. all i'll say is your
sentiment "I doubt changing things is worth the bother" seems fitting.
jmc
