From: <ke...@cr...> - 2006-11-03 14:33:27
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"Entier" is not a misspelling. "Entier" is a French word meaning 'integer,' which was used for coercion to an integer in Algol 60, Algol 68, Simula 67, and BCPL. "Entire" was not the word I intended. That said, I realize that "entier" is perhaps too obscure in the modern era. "Entire" is worse. "Integer" is misleading, since it suggests a platform-dependent native integer; likewise "bigint" is misleading, since the "entier" function coerces to a native integer if possible. "Floor" is more or less accurate in terms of the function's operation, but already taken for coercion to the corresponding floating-point number. In short, I chose a bad name because it appeared that all the good ones were taken. -- 73 de ke9tv/2, Kevin KENNY GE Corporate Research & Development ke...@cr... P. O. Box 8, Bldg. K-1, Rm. 5B36A Schenectady, New York 12301-0008 USA |