hosers-talk: Resolved

["Jon Stewart" <stew1@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

WHEREAS the "base and offset" method of indexing into a random access 
array or container or collection or other grouping of similar data types 
lends itself to some convenient solutions, and,

WHEREAS the venerable C programming language uses this method for its 
built-in arrays, starting from zero, and by force of personality has 
established it as the dominant indexing idiom world-wide, and,

WHEREAS counting from 1, while intuitive to the uninitiated programmer, 
has some mathematical disadvantages, and,

WHEREAS switching between these two methods of indexing in the same
context can lead to numerous off-by-one errors, general confusion, low
morale, mind-numbing boredom, and mass hysteria,

IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED that all indexing should use the base-and-offset 
method, starting at 0, and that all programming languages should support 
this, and only this, method, and that all programmers should adhere to it 
strictly in all cases, upon penalty of death and dismemberment, including, 
but not limited to, the Visual Basic development team at Microsoft, Inc.

January 4, 2002.



Jon
-- 
Jon Stewart
stew1@xxxxxxxxxxx

"Survey says: it was a bad idea in the first place."

	-- The Dismemberment Plan