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Doesn’t it make more sense to model counting of string length using natural numbers instead of integers? It’s sort of like a dependent type which ensures you c

Doesn’t it make more sense to model counting of string length using natural numbers instead of integers? It’s sort of like a dependent type which ensures you cannot represent invalid values.

mikeash 8y ago
I think that only works if your language traps underflow. In a language like C++ where unsigned integers silently wrap around, you’re not really ensuring that you cannot represent invalid values, merely that you represent invalid values as valid values.
- perfmode 8y ago
  Fair point.