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Re: Language design values (Re: message primitive)
Per Bothner <per@bothner.com> writes:
> Telford Tendys <telford@eng.uts.edu.au> writes:
>
> > Orthogonality is already defined in mathematics as stating that the
> > dot product of two vectors is zero. I hate to see the word applied in
> > a hazy way to computer languages since no one can give it a solid
> > definition. If you are suggesting that any given computer behaviour
> > should only be achievable by exactly one program (or none at all)
> > then that seems like an impossible thing, and not even desirable.
>
> I have never seen "orthogonality" to mean that. Normally, it means
> that two (or more) different features when used together make sense,
> combine in positive ways, and the specification doesn't have strange
> exceptions to deal with the combination.
I think this is a good description. It is actually the natural
extension of the mathematical concept:
Mathematics:
If two vectors in a Cartesian system are orthogonal, they are linearly
independent. A fuzzy description of this is that "each one
contributes something new which is well separated from what was
provided before".
Computers:
NS 32000 had an "orthogonal" instruction set, meaning: It had one set
of addressing modes and one set of operations, and all operations
worked with all addressing modes.
The Intel processors are a good example of a non-orthogonal
instruction set.
/mdj