Re^2: Basic Array Question

Perl calls "associative arrays" hashes. It makes sense and it saves you a bunch of syllables to use at a later date.

Yes to the latter, maybe to the former. The fact that associative arrays in perl are implemented using a hashing mechanism, is just an implementation detail that has no influence on how people use them. So I'm more or less unhappy with that name.

I'd prefer "string-indexed arrays" any day, but of course, people with find that name too long, too.

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Re^3: Basic Array Question by japhy (Canon) on May 11, 2006 at 13:19 UTC
I wouldn't mind "map" (except that's overloaded) or "mapping", and Python calls them (or at least used to call them) "dictionaries", which also makes sense (except you tend to think of a dictionary as being sorted alphabetically). Jeff `japhy` Pinyan, P.L., P.M., P.O.D, X.S.: Perl, regex, and `perl` hacker How can we ever be the sold short or the cheated, we who for every service have long ago been overpaid? ~~ Meister Eckhart	[reply]

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Re^3: Basic Array Question
by japhy (Canon) on May 11, 2006 at 13:19 UTC

Jeff japhy Pinyan, P.L., P.M., P.O.D, X.S.: Perl, regex, and perl hacker
How can we ever be the sold short or the cheated, we who for every service have long ago been overpaid? ~~ Meister Eckhart

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