On Sun, Apr 3, 2016 at 1:27 PM Shawn Erickson <shaw...@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Sun, Apr 3, 2016 at 6:41 AM Michel Fortin via swift-evolution < > swift-evolution@swift.org> wrote: > >> > What is your evaluation of the proposal? >> >> I don't like "form" as a prefix. To me there is no difference between >> `union` and `formUnion`: both sounds functional-style, and actually the >> second one perhaps a bit more to my ears. There's basically two dictionary >> definitions of "form": >> >> 1. "bring together parts or combine to create (something)" which to me >> implies a new value is created, and >> 2. "make or fashion into a certain shape or form" which would imply that >> the material you start with is transformed, which is apparently the >> intended meaning and also the reverse meaning from the above. >> >> I mean, doesn't this make sense as an API? >> >> let donut = baker.formDonut(dough) // non-mutating >> >> Perhaps instead of "form" we could use "become" as a prefix when the >> operation is naturally described by a noun. That would seem less ambiguous >> to me: >> >> a.becomeUnion(b) >> a.becomeIntersection(b) >> a.becomeSuccessor(b) >> >> It's a bit passive, but I find it fits well when the operation is a noun. >> >> And there's no way the term lends itself to non-mutating cases without >> things becoming nonsensical: >> >> let donut = baker.becomeDonut(dough) // non-mutating? >> > > I also am having difficulty coming to terms with the use of "form" (I am a > native English speaker). As you note "form" can imply the creation of > something from parts (more like assembling a new thing) as well as the > creation of something out of a material say a of block clay (more like > molding something out of an existing thing). It doesn't seem clear cut to > me to imply in place mutation. > > Additionally my eyes / brain keep seeing "from" instead of "form". This > type of issue is generally true with any short word made up of the same set > of letters (made worse since "from" is more common in programming then > "form"). The mind quickly narrows in on a set of possible words given the > letters we see and then uses context to help get the correct one and/or > additional visual parsing to understand the exact ordering of letters (more > energy expended). Anyway since I keep seeing "from" instead of "form" I > keep going in the direction of thinking it returns something made from the > two (or more) items involved (not really sure why "from" goes that > direction in my head, it could also go the in place direction). > > I would prefer something other then "form" (note I just typed "from" by > mistake)... I think your suggestion of "become" has merit. > > y.becomeUnion(x) --reads to me as--> "y become union with x" > y.formUnion(x) --read to me as--> "y from oops... y forming a union of x" > y.becomeIntersection(x) --reads to me as--> "y become intersection with x" > y.formIntersection(x) --read to me as--> "y from oops... y forming an > intersection with x" > After stepping away for a bit and looking at it from the POV of the API of Set and not in the context of "y" I could read things in the abstract as... "becomeUnion(with other:Self)" --> "I become a union with other" "formUnion(with other:Self)" --> "I form a union with other" No clear winner to me however when used in code "become" still feels more strongly mutating then "form": y.formUnion(with:x) or y.becomeUnion(with:x) All in all the API would have mutating in front of it (at least for structs) and it wouldn't have a return type. It would become clear fairly quickly as a result (hence learned). Just still not that happy with "form" but with use my mind would likely quickly adapt. -Shawn
_______________________________________________ swift-evolution mailing list swift-evolution@swift.org https://lists.swift.org/mailman/listinfo/swift-evolution