Newsgroups: rec.arts.int-fiction
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From: bl947@torfree.net (Arlo Smith)
Subject: Re: Everything about Inf
Message-ID: <DAw1qB.Hx3.0.queen@torfree.net>
Organization: Toronto FreeNet
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References: <DALFHL.83n@undergrad.math.uwaterloo.ca> <60.5827.4154.0N1E84BE@canrem.com> <D91TAN.95Jun26161008@Paris.DoCS.UU.SE>
Date: Wed, 28 Jun 1995 15:01:22 GMT
Lines: 22

Torbj|rn Andersson (d91tan@Student.DoCS.UU.SE) wrote:
: bl947@tofree.net (Arlo Smith) wrote:

:   "This is not very good writing. It's difficult to read and the style
:    fault ratio is well above average. The author has little grasp of
:    clear writing."

Well, whether or not it's a grammatical masterpiece really doesn't matter.
Someone new to the language has trouble because some ideas are introduced 
with advanced examples. I think if he introduced concepts using simple 
examples and moved onto more complicated examples, it'd be fine. I'm 
still reeling from the jump he makes in section 16. He introduces 'in 
scope' then jumps to an advanced programming example which is pretty 
unkind to a reader who is being introduced to these concepts for the 
first time. Instead it'd be better to have a couple of simple examples 
illustrating each concept. THEN an advanced one if he feels it's necessary.
My impression is that people have to skip parts, study the 
games, and then come back. One guy said he read the manual 20 times, and 
I believe him. Well, if I ever succeed in programming a decent game, I'll 
go back and write an introduction to the language (though I'd need 
permission to do that?!).

