Re: Frivolous function names

[tadman]

Whimsy, in the kernel?

while (is_computer_on() && !is_computer_on_fire())
{
     do_stuff();
}

From BeOS.

No, really.

As for semantics, I like to keep function names paired, such as Get/Set, Load/Save, Begin/End, Start/Finish and so forth, and try not to mix them.

The use of something like fetch_record() implies that it will try and retrieve it if possible, unless there is no record to fetch. However, get_record() may imply that it gets a record, even creating a new one of required. That get_record() might come back empty handed could be a bit of a surprise. It's like, "Hey! I asked for a record, where is it?"

[davies]

IIRC, some of the old 68xx processors had undefined opcodes. Most of these were effectively NOP, but at least one sent the processor into a mad series of loops,and could be stopped only by powering the machine down. I always heard it called "HCF", standing for "Halt and Catch Fire". I never saw it for myself, but it had its fifteen minutes of fame.

Regards,

John Davies

[Aristotle]

That link should now be http://www.beunited.org/bebook/The%20Kernel%20Kit/System.html.

be.com has fallen prey to domain squatters. How the mighty have fallen… :-( It is really depressing.