Perhaps the blog shouldn't say that J does not have functions. Just say that J uses English grammar descriptions. It calls variables nouns and things that perform actions verbs. Then talk about adverbs and conjunctions as things unique to J. Don't get bogged down with what operators and functions are.
On Thu, Sep 13, 2012 at 9:42 AM, Raul Miller <[email protected]> wrote: > If we do not know what an operator is, how can we know whether or not > J has them? > > -- > Raul > > On Thu, Sep 13, 2012 at 11:39 AM, Tracy Harms <[email protected]> wrote: > > My understanding is that J has no "operators" in the usual sense. The > term > > "operation" seems reasonable to encompass copula, verbs, adverbs, and > > conjunctions. > > On Sep 11, 2012 1:52 PM, "Don Guinn" <[email protected]> wrote: > > > >> Be careful how you define operators too. + and - are commonly called > >> operators. > >> > >> On Sep 11, 2012 10:00 AM, "Alan Stebbens" <[email protected]> wrote: > >> > >> > Don, > >> > > >> > Your point is valid, even with Raul's explanation. > >> > > >> > Saying that "J has no functions" in one paragraph, and then stating > later > >> > that the power adverb applies to a "function" *is* confusing. > >> > > >> > The article that we are discussing is clearly focused on people > >> unfamiliar > >> > with J. So, providing a "bridge" of understanding between the more > >> common > >> > computing environments and the "J way" is pretty much a requirement, > as > >> is > >> > consistency in usage of terms. > >> > > >> > So, Raul's dichotomy is a good point, but it will also be very useful > to > >> > explain that verbs correlate to functions, and adverbs correlate to > >> > "operators" or functions that modify functions, etc. > >> > > >> > -- > >> > Alan Stebbens <[email protected]> > >> > > >> > > >> > On Tuesday, September 11, 2012 at 8:45 AM, Don Guinn wrote: > >> > > >> > > True. I was just concerned that the write-up said J has no functions > >> then > >> > > later referenced a verb as a function. > >> > > > >> > > On Sep 11, 2012 9:13 AM, "Raul Miller" <[email protected](mailto: > >> > [email protected])> wrote: > >> > > > >> > > > Personally, I think of that dichotomy this way: > >> > > > > >> > > > "verbs" are a grammatical construct. > >> > > > "functions" are a mathematical construct. > >> > > > > >> > > > -- > >> > > > Raul > >> > > > > >> > > > On Tue, Sep 11, 2012 at 11:03 AM, Don Guinn <[email protected] > >> (mailto: > >> > [email protected])> wrote: > >> > > > > Excellent article. Might want to clarify what you mean when you > say > >> > J has > >> > > > > no functions. Then later you say that power applies to a > function. > >> > Maybe > >> > > > > say that verbs are like functions in other languages. > >> > > > > > >> > > > > On Sep 11, 2012 8:05 AM, "Konrad Hinsen" < > >> [email protected](mailto: > >> > [email protected])> > >> > > > > wrote: > >> > > > > > >> > > > > > Konrad Hinsen writes: > >> > > > > > > >> > > > > > > Here's a blog post about J that I published a few days ago, > >> > carefully > >> > > > > > avoiding > >> > > > > > > to cite J in the title :-) > >> > > > > > > > >> > > > > > > > >> > > > > > > >> > > > > > >> > > > > > >> > > > > >> > > > > >> > > >> > http://khinsen.wordpress.com/2012/09/07/the-ultimate-calculator-for-android-and-ios/ > >> > > > > > > > >> > > > > > > Comments welcome. > >> > > > > > > >> > > > > > Thanks a lot for all your comments. I have fixed all the > mistakes > >> > and > >> > > > > > typos that were reported. I'll also think about the > suggestions > >> for > >> > > > > > improvement/extension. > >> > > > > > > >> > > > > > Konrad. > >> > > > > > > >> > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > >> > > > > > For information about J forums see > >> > http://www.jsoftware.com/forums.htm > >> > > > > > > >> > > > > > >> > > > > > >> > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > >> > > > > For information about J forums see > >> > http://www.jsoftware.com/forums.htm > >> > > > > > >> > > > > >> > > > > >> ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > >> > > > For information about J forums see > >> http://www.jsoftware.com/forums.htm > >> > > > > >> > > > >> > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > >> > > For information about J forums see > http://www.jsoftware.com/forums.htm > >> > > > >> > > > >> > > >> > > >> > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > >> > For information about J forums see > http://www.jsoftware.com/forums.htm > >> > > >> ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > >> For information about J forums see http://www.jsoftware.com/forums.htm > >> > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > For information about J forums see http://www.jsoftware.com/forums.htm > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > For information about J forums see http://www.jsoftware.com/forums.htm > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For information about J forums see http://www.jsoftware.com/forums.htm
