in reply to Re^4: returning large arrays from functions
in thread returning large arrays from functions

I see that as a special case of copy on write. COW refers to multiple objects sharing the same data storage until one changes. Copying the pointer over shares the data storage. What's special is that it never reaches the point where copying is necessary. If you'd rather use a different word for it, pretend I used that word.

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Re^6: returning large arrays from functions
by Anonymous Monk on Nov 19, 2010 at 09:27 UTC

    So 'copying without regard to whether writing will ever occur or not'--or as the rest of us like to call it, just "copying"--is to you a special case of copy on write.

    Not just techno-babble used to dress up an otherwise meaningless post for no more purpose than XP-whoring.

[reply]

      So 'copying without regard to whether writing will ever occur or not'-,

      ???? I said not copying because there is no write is special case of COW.

[reply]

        My mistake.

        So it's 'not copying for any reason' that is a special case of COW.

        Now it all makes sense.

[reply]

      So 'copying without regard to whether writing will ever occur or not'

      ???? I said not copying because there is no write is special case of COW.

[reply]

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