Comment on The temptation is always there

• drcouzelis@lemmy.zip ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

  Waaaait a minute… isn’t it called a variable because the contents are, you know, variable?

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  • BassTurd@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

    It started as a variable, then ended as a constant.

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• Yen@feddit.uk ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

  This is needlessly obtuse. The definition of the word is that it’s non-constant. There isn’t an ISO definition of the word no, but there are many reputable dictionaries out there that will serve as an alternative.

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  • marcos@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

    Well, starting with the definition from algebra, where it’s not something allowed to vary…

    I guess more people know about math than use imperative programing languages.

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    • SkyeStarfall@lemmy.blahaj.zone ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

      Except that’s exactly what it is allowed to in algebra.

      Sure, in most equations you solve in school there is only one possible value for the variables. But in many equations there can be multiple, or even infinite. It’s an unknown, and the contents can vary (depending on other constraints).

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      • marcos@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

        There’s no time in algebra for your variables to vary.

        When you have a non-unitary set of solutions, you have a constant non-unitary set of solutions.

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