[Edu-sig] the state of the link

[David Handy]

Yes, I noticed the email and wanted to reply to it. The problem is that I
wanted to give you a well-worded answer, and I just couldn't come up with
one in the short time I have.

My experience is that Edgar Djikstra is right. It turns out that
zero-based indexing with assymetric bounds is the right way to go.  I have
tried to implement things like string parsing in a 1-based index language
(BASIC) and in a zero-based index language (C/C++) so I know the
difference. I was going to write up some examples of just how cumbersome
1-based indexing can become, but I just don't have the time for it. If you
are skeptical then you just have try it to experience these problems
yourself. :)

On Mon, 19 Apr 2004, denis wrote:

> Hello,
> 
> Well, I sent a rather heavy message two days ago. The kind of thing, you
> know, that may explode one's mailbox with reactions. I was wondering how
> many tons of letters the postman would have to carry ; and in fact the
> number (cardinal) of answer(s) is 'zero' (hehe !).
> Thus this message as a link control tool. Did you get the parcel ?
> 
> salutation,
> denis
> 
> 
> 
> 
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