[REBOL] Re: Correct Behaviour? Was False = 2 ????
From: jeff:rebol at: 4-Jul-2001 23:04
Howdy, Joel:
> "First" refers to the item in an ordered collection which
> precedes all others.
Well, if you wish to define "first" that way, then what is
the word 'Zeroth' found in the dictionary for? Does zeroth
refer to those elements preceding those that precede all
others (first)?
If you can squarely locate the zeroth place I will
understand much better your more consistent system of the
free mind. I think you're a sly dog, slipping in an extra
space there with out anyone noticing, no? Hah ha. "Start
with zero except when using words to refer to positions,
THEN start with FIRST and pretend ZEROTH doesn't exist..."
sure.. ha ha. How consistent is that? Why, that's
downright irregular, just conveniently assigning the zeroth
element to FIRST. Tsk tsk. Weird, deformed,
asymmetrical. :-)
But seriously, I just think ZERO based indexing really is
less intuitive (and one might argue from the history of
mathematics, that the relative late "discovery" of zero is
suggestive of the fact that humans weren't initially
inclined to include zero in their numbering systems-- and it
seems you're may be eager to dispose of our friend "zeroth"
for the convenience of FIRST's definition. But perhaps I'm
missing something-- like an unnamed slot in block of items
(-:)
Cheers--
-jeff
