From: Gavin Sinclair <gsinclair@...>
Date: 2002-09-25T07:43:06+09:00
Subject: Re: select and selectZ


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Hugh Sasse Staff Elec Eng" <hgs@dmu.ac.uk>


> On Wed, 25 Sep 2002 dblack@candle.superlink.net wrote:
> 
> > > > > Hashes and arrays map keys to values.  The method we are looking for
> > > > > returns several values based on several keys.
>         [...]
> > > Reason: given an index into a data structure, you don't "find"
> > > something, you get it directly.  That's what indices are all about.
> > > That's why I like "grab": it connotes directness.
>         [...]
> > My problem with grab is that it feels like its arguments are, in
> > grammatical terms, its direct objects ("grab these") whereas in fact
> > what you're grabbing is what's stored at "these".  So to me its
> > "direct" quality is a little too direct.
> >
> 
> What about
>     l,m,n = thing.lookup(x,y,z)
> then?  One is basically using these hashes/arrays like a directory,
> a table, or even like a database of sorts....
> 
>         Hugh


Very good!

Gavin