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RE: constant `e'


From: Drew Adams
Subject: RE: constant `e'
Date: Sat, 10 Feb 2007 17:24:02 -0800

To `e' or not to `e', that is the question.

> > The variable `e', defined in `float-sup.el', has been around for a long
> > time, but I wonder if it wouldn't be better to give it a different name
> > in Emacs, because of the possibility of `e' occurring as a typo.
>
> e has been around for several hundred years.  It is known by that name
> universally in European language cultures.

That `e' as a name for a mathematical constant has been around since before
Napier departed his bones goes without saying, and is irrelevant here (yes).
What I said was that the Emacs "_variable_ `e', defined in `float-sup.el'
has been around for a long time."  So it has, if not quite as long.

And I was careful to say "give it another name _in Emacs_", expecting that
without that proviso there would be some (the nefarious Naysaying Napier
Notaries, for instance) who would get hot and bothered that I was attempting
to rename the math constant in the namespace of Math.

I might be heretical at times, but I am capable of choosing my own heresy -
no need to lend me any. No need to defend the universality of `e' in Math -
from me or from non-european-language cultures. `e' is quite safe from all,
with the single exception of Georges Perec (aka Gorgs Prc).

(I used to think that suggesting changes to emacs-devel was like pulling
teeth, but I've grown to learn that dentistry is nowhere near as difficult
as I once imagined, at least not as a relative measure.)

> If e were to be renamed, how would anybody find out it exists?

How did you find out that a variable named `e' exists with the value it has?
How do you find out that any variable exists?

> Who would remember the new name?

Do you generally have trouble remembering names longer than one character?
If so, do you think Emacs should cater to that disability? If so, how?

;-) Just attempted humor, folks. No need to donate to address@hidden
yet.

Anyway, as I said, I won't fight this one. If people want `e', `e' it shall
`b'.






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