Version 73 of BraceStarBrace

Updated 2007-07-13 07:09:08 by stk

A fitting and catchy phrase for the {*} syntax element, used to indicate the {expand} functionality.

  • polyphemus operator: Jeff Hobbs from the trenches [L1 ]

From the same thread:

  • wart: Mark Roseman [L2 ]

On the {*} page, JMN suggests:

  • nipple: "which is clearly better than a wart"

Since I asked the question and wondering now, why this seems to be an unsolved problem: My stk two suggestions are:

  • bellybutton: Because that's, what it looks like...
  • Deeper Meaning of...: Comming from Douglas Adams "The Deeper Meaning of Liff", where he invented all the until then unknown words for the actions and things we all know, but have no word for. It also somehow matches the functionality of {*}, since it gets up the deeper meaning of what it follows, and for {*}$var you can say The deeper meaning of $var, which is, what it is...

slebetman: Why not the most obvious: the expansion operator.

AM Too prozaic :) I suggest: accolade. My reasons: the sign { is called an accolade in Dutch, but more importantly the word of old is the name of some intricate dance from the French court, elegant yet complicated.

stk ...and because of Tcl Marketing discussion...

EKB I like prosaic. "Expansion operator" sounds good to me. It says what it does, and will make sense to programmers from other languages. It could also be called the "Polyphemus operator." Something like this: "Oh, that? It's an expansion operator. Because it looks like an eye, it was officially named 'Polyphemus', after the cyclops." ("Wart" and "nipple" made me laugh, but I'd rather not have to use that when introducing people to Tcl!)

  • explode: descriptive because something which was one piece breaks into multiple pieces, and it looks like a little explosion - Colin Macleod.

MG also likes "expansion operator" (especially given that {*} used to be {expand}, if only for a brief time), though "explode" is the name used for similar things in PHP, and I believe some other languages, too.

TJK If you like cute names then how about splat (a common name for "*"), other wise I would vote for expansion trigraph. stk As a technical term, I like expansion trigraph, but it's very C-centric and it's not a "cool name" for non-Tclers.

LV How about scream? The {*} reminds me of a famous painting [L3 ]... stk Scream is brilliant...

escargo - How about reveal (or the somewhat more risque, disrobe)?

stk How will this go on, does someone "close" the time for new entries in the poll after a week or so and then start a vote or something?


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