Re: Java

[Vladimir G Ivanovic <address@hidden>]

Sadly, I am comically-challenged.
Comically, I am sadly challenged.
Challenged, I am comic. Or something.

(I interpreted the smiley as just softening the "Duh!", not as applying
to the entire message.)

I feel that the concept of a "current working directory" doesn't belong
in the definition of a language. In a library that deals with files,
yes, but in the language, no.

You're right about the concept of a "current working directory" not
depending on user-writable storage. I was trying to name the property
that cellphones didn't have which obviated the need for a current
working directory. Better would be simply "a file system".

--- Vladimir

Vladimir G. Ivanovic                        http://leonora.org/~vladimir
2770 Cowper St.                                         vladimir@acm.org
Palo Alto, CA 94306-2447                                 +1 650 678 8014

"GS" == Guy Steele <- Sun Microsystems Labs <gls@labean.East.Sun.COM>> writes:


  GS>    From: Vladimir G Ivanovic <vladimir@acm.org>
  GS>    Date: Fri, 07 Dec 2001 08:13:26 -0800
   
  GS>    You're confusing an operating system concept with a programming
  GS>    language feature.

  GS> Yes, but as a joke.  I assumed that ":-)" on top of a "Duh!"
  GS> would be redundant, but maybe I was wrong.  Sorry if I confused
  GS> or upset you.

  GS> A more charitable assessment would be that I was using
  GS> a metaphor.

  GS> Let me put the question another way: why should the presence
  GS> or absence of the concept of "current" directory hinge on
  GS> the presence or absence of user-writable storage?  I can
  GS> perfectly well imagine a directory structure that gives
  GS> access to devices and files the writing of which is not
  GS> under control of the user, and a current directory within
  GS> that directory structure.  Conversely, I can perfectly
  GS> well imagine a file system that has no concept of a current
  GS> directory, or even of directory structure (I have worked
  GS> with many such in the past), even though user-writable
  GS> storage is supported.

  GS> --Guy