Re: Enum basics

Date	2011-11-05 14:06 -0700
From	Patricia Shanahan <pats@acm.org>
Newsgroups	comp.lang.java.help
Subject	Re: Enum basics
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On 11/5/2011 9:15 AM, Lew wrote:
...
> Contrary to the crap you put forward, Roedy, you don't have to be a
> "language lawyer" to understand the cited passages, either.  Just a
> programmer.

Lew's claim seems to be that any programmer can read the JLS. Roedy's
claim seems to be that JLS reading is a specialized skill, distinct
from, and in addition to, general programming skill.

This is actually an interesting question. To me, the JLS seems the
clearest description of Java I have found, and is my go-to document when
I want to know anything about the core language, as distinct from the
libraries.

However, I had studied the theory of formal grammars and compiler
construction, worked on compilers, and read several other language
specifications before Java was invented. I may be a "language lawyer".

I'm interpreting "a programmer" as someone who can program, without
requiring any other skill. This question could easily become circular if
inability to read the JLS were treated as evidence of not being a
programmer.

So, here is a question for people who can program in Java, or can
program in at least one other language and are learning Java:

Can you understand the JLS?

Patricia

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Thread

Enum basics Roedy Green <see_website@mindprod.com.invalid> - 2011-11-04 15:11 -0700
  Re: Enum basics "John B. Matthews" <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2011-11-04 20:44 -0400
    Re: Enum basics Lew <lewbloch@gmail.com> - 2011-11-04 20:27 -0700
      Re: Enum basics "John B. Matthews" <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2011-11-05 02:23 -0400
        Re: Enum basics Lew <lewbloch@gmail.com> - 2011-11-05 00:51 -0700
      Re: Enum basics Roedy Green <see_website@mindprod.com.invalid> - 2011-11-05 04:12 -0700
        Re: Enum basics Lew <lewbloch@gmail.com> - 2011-11-05 09:15 -0700
          Re: Enum basics Patricia Shanahan <pats@acm.org> - 2011-11-05 14:06 -0700
            Re: Enum basics Lew <lewbloch@gmail.com> - 2011-11-05 15:54 -0700
            Re: Enum basics Arved Sandstrom <asandstrom3minus1@eastlink.ca> - 2011-11-05 20:43 -0300
            Re: Enum basics markspace <-@.> - 2011-11-05 19:55 -0700
            Re: Enum basics Joshua Cranmer <Pidgeot18@verizon.invalid> - 2011-11-05 22:10 -0500
  Re: Enum basics Roedy Green <see_website@mindprod.com.invalid> - 2011-11-05 04:18 -0700

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