And this is where the details are more useful than the abstract. I think if we focus more on specific API methods and answer the questions for each or those we will spend less time going back and forth on the use of sentinel values.
X.doSomethingUntil(10s); <- do something, give up after at least 10s X.doSomething(); <- do something, never give up Very clear and no sentinel values. Y.doSomethingWithLimit(10); <- do it 10 times Y.doSomething(); <- do it forever Very clear and no sentinel values. -Jake On Wed, Sep 6, 2017 at 2:50 PM Anthony Baker <aba...@pivotal.io> wrote: > > > On Sep 6, 2017, at 2:29 PM, Jacob Barrett <jbarr...@pivotal.io> wrote: > > > > Ok, I did not find that previous message at all clarifying but I did find > > this one clarifying. > > I think the objective is to provide a clear and understandable API. > > IMO, a ReallyBigNumber is not easily readable. Is the user’s intent to > wait XXX time or forever? Why not provide a constant value / enum to > signal intent? > > There are so many usages of “0 as infinity” throughout the internets that > I personally don’t find it all that confusing. > > Anthony > >
