[swift-evolution] [Review] SE-0101: Rename sizeof and related functions to comply with API Guidelines

[Xiaodi Wu]

On Thu, Jun 30, 2016 at 8:21 PM, Matthew Johnson via swift-evolution <
swift-evolution at swift.org> wrote:

>
> On Jun 30, 2016, at 8:12 PM, Dave Abrahams <dabrahams at apple.com> wrote:
>
>
> on Thu Jun 30 2016, Matthew Johnson <matthew-AT-anandabits.com
> <http://matthew-at-anandabits.com/>> wrote:
>
> Sent from my iPad
>
> On Jun 30, 2016, at 6:59 PM, Erica Sadun via swift-evolution <
> swift-evolution at swift.org> wrote:
>
>
> On Jun 30, 2016, at 5:47 PM, James Berry <jberry at rogueorbit.com> wrote:
>
>
> On Jun 30, 2016, at 4:05 PM, Dave Abrahams via swift-evolution <
> swift-evolution at swift.org> wrote:
> on Thu Jun 30 2016, Erica Sadun <erica-AT-ericasadun.com
> <http://erica-at-ericasadun.com>> wrote:
>
> On Jun 30, 2016, at 4:41 PM, Dave Abrahams <dabrahams at apple.com> wrote:
>
> I mentioned this in a comment on the gist already, but I'm really not
> digging the "array" in `arraySpacing`. We've already moved from top-level
> "stride" to "memory layout spacing," gaining plenty of clarity. I'm
> skeptical that the "array" adds anything more. Moreover, it muddies the
> waters by mentioning a specific type (Array) in a context where you're
> querying the memory layout properties of another type.
>
>
> OK, I agree with that.  If we have “alignment” rather than
> “defaultAlignment,” I suppose we can have plain “spacing.”
>
>
> No way to last-second sell you on interval rather than spacing?
>
>
> If you can explain why it's better.
>
> // Returns the least possible interval between distinct instances of
> /// `T` in memory.  The result is always positive.
>
>
> For me, “interval” doesn't go with “size” and “alignment,” which are all
> about physical distances and locations.  There are all kinds of
> “intervals,” e.g. time intervals.
>
>
> Hmm. Sounds like stride to me. stride or byteStride?
>
> James
>
>
> FAQ: "Why aren't you using the obvious phrase `stride` for something that
> clearly
> returns the memory stride?"
>
> ANSWER: "As stride already has a well-established meaning in the standard
> library,
> this proposal changes the name to spacing, providing a simple but correct
> name that
> works well enough in its intended use. Measuring memory is sufficiently
> esoteric
> that we prefer to reserve `stride` for a more common use case."
>
>
> Counter: some words have more than one well established meaning when
> used in different contexts.  'spacing' isn't too bad here (much better
> than 'arraySpacing') but sticking to the term of art 'stride' would be
> best IMO.  As James mentioned, spacing implies empty space *between*
> items whereas stride matches the meaning of this property *exactly*
> (which is why it is the term of art).
>
> If a programmer can't distinguish between a 'stride' property on
> MemoryLayout and the 'stride' function they probably have no business
> doing anything which requires use of MemoryLayout in the first place.
>
>
> I don't believe that “stride” *is* the accepted term of art for this
> meaning.  I never heard of the idea of types having an intrinsic
> “stride” until I arrived on the Swift project.  That usage came from
> “strideof.”
>
>
> If you all swear up and down that you've been talking about “the stride
> of a type” for more than 2 years, I won't fight you on this.
> Otherwise... well, I still won't fight; I'm being crushed by an
> avalanche of bikesheds and I can't muster the energy ;->... but I'll
> forever be plagued by doubts about the name.
>
>
> I was just throwing in my 2 cents and planned to leave it at that.  The
> primary reason I chimed in is because I didn’t find the rationale in the
> “answer” compelling.  This isn’t something I feel like bike shedding any
> further over either.
>
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stride_of_an_array
>
> Maybe stride isn’t as common as I thought it was (if it was I’m sure you
> would have heard of it before Swift) but it certainly predates Swift in
> usage.
>

This does make the case for stride more strongly. At this point I too could
go either way.


>
> -Matthew
>
>
> --
> Dave
>
>
>
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>
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