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To some extent that reflects that in programming we encounter a mixture of naming origins between computer science (where naming follows an academic tradition t
by jameshart 6y ago
To some extent that reflects that in programming we encounter a mixture of naming origins between computer science (where naming follows an academic tradition that shares its heritage with Mathematics) and software engineering (where naming follows a tradition closer to that of other engineering tooling, where naming is more like branding - think 'Duck tape' or 'Allen wrench').
Often the closest thing we do to the whole 'Thurston maps are Thurston-equivalent to polynomials, unless they have Thurston obstructions' thing is that we qualify our statements about programming entities by the programming language or platform to which the statement applies. So you might reasonably have a statement like 'A JSON value consists of an array of JSON values, a map of string keys to JSON values, or a primitive value', which sounds just as self-referential as the Thurston example, but because it's called a JSON value, not a Crockford value, it sounds less conceited.
- iguy 6y agoIsn't Allen the inventor's name?
- xxs 6y agoIt is a brand name.
- iguy 6y agoSure. So is Ford. But back in 1909, it was also the name of the guy who signed the patent. Whose company name was his surname.
- xxs 6y ago>"where naming is more like branding" I meant it followed the branding pattern, so it happened the brand was derived from the name.
- iguy 6y agoI guess there's no commerce in mathematical theorems. But the use of his name as a generic (not just for products sold by the company which bought the trademark) seems similar in that it's a community decision -- we could have all decided to say "hex wrench" instead.