[Ocaml-lib-devel] MList name (was: ExtLib v0.1o)

[Amit D. <ad...@Co...>]

...<snip>...

> > answer 1:  Get an editor that supports keyboard macros or
> > abbreviations.  At the very least, get one that supports find/replace.
> >
> > answer 2:  let mlBlah = MutableList.blah


    answer 3:  module MList = MutableList

...<snip>...


> But I don't think that Mutable_List is good either.
> 
> Perhaps "MutList" ( without underscore ) match both needs :
> 1) descriptive enough
> 2) short enough
> 
> Do people here agree ?

    I agree that Mutable_List isn't good: the underscore
is unnecessary.  However, I do have some issues with
MutList.  First, I think the rules should be:

1) Intuitive 
2) Concise

    "MutList" fits the descriptive test, espcially if we have
a lot of datastructures that come in mutable/non-mutable pairs.
It does not, however, pass the intuitivity test.  If I knew
nothing about the library, I don't have to think at all
to figure out what "MutableList" does.  I *do* have to think
to figure out what "MutList" does.  Any thing we do to make
the learning curve gentler is useful, I think.  Moreover,
we could also "alias" MutableList to MList (or whatever) in ExtStd
for more "advanced" users.

    Also, another problem with "Mut" is that it is just
a strange contraction to make.  Using "Std" for "Standard" is
common and easily understood.  "Ext" for "Extended" is OK.  But
"Mut" for "Mutable" is a bit awkward, and not very common.
(Mutbl might be OK, though).

    All in all, this gives us three basic rules:

1) Intuitive
2) Concise
3) Conforms to English grammar (see previous email)

    As for MutList, I guess that leaves two options:

MutableList (with a possible alias)
MutblList

    -Amit




> 
> I'm happy that we add theses talks, that will help a lot in future problems
> containing modules/functions naming.
> Let's put the two rules above somewhere.
> 
> Nicolas Cannasse
> 
> 
> 
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