Language design

[Steven D'Aprano]

On Tuesday 02 June 2015 10:10, TheDoctor wrote:

> On Friday, September 13, 2013 at 12:08:04 AM UTC-5, Steven D'Aprano wrote:

Mark, you are digging up a conversation from nearly two years ago. 
Seriously?


>> It makes no difference whether I write:
>> 
>>     atoms -> stars -> galaxies
>> 
>> or
>> 
>>     galaxies <- stars <- atoms
>> 
>> nor does it make any difference if I write the chain starting at the top
>> and pointing down, or at the bottom and pointing up.
> 
> Yes it does.  Ford IS-A Car, but Car IS-A Ford?  No.  Try reordering that
> one.

Try again. Look at the direction of the arrows. Nobody denies that there is 
a difference between:

    atoms -> stars -> galaxies

    galaxies -> stars -> atoms

but that's not what my second example says. Look closely, and consider that 
sometimes we write "Mark's hat" and sometimes "the hat of Mark".


> I see we've missed each other with our limitations to ASCII text, in ways
> that would have never happened had these conversations occurred in person.
>  Re-reading my texts, I see that I can easily confuse myself.

Yes, I see that.


-- 
Steve