Off topic: Divided by a common language (WAS: API receiver variab le limit)

Martin wrote:
>For some time now, I've been musing on differences between the use of
>English between Britain and North America.  There are a number of terms
>that I see repeatedly on the net, and particularly here, that confuse
>me.
>
>Jon Paris's comment:
>
>> PS.  Why write a boilerplate?
>
>reminded me that I've been wanting to ask about this.  Plus it's Friday
>afternoon. :-)
>
>So:
>
>1) What's a boilerplate?  I understand from the context, but where does
>the term come from, and why?
>2) Why do you call /COPY members "copy books"?
>3) Why do you call DP departments and/or software houses "shops"?  Over
>here a shop is a kind of building where you can buy things -- you know,
>big plate-glass windows, tills, all that?  I think you call them stores,
>though.

An old story I heard years ago:  There was a meeting with IBMers
from Canada, UK, and US.  The American and the Brit couldn't
understand each other, so the Canuck had to translate between them.
And they all spoke English!

OK, to your questions:

1) Regarding "boilerplate", I thought I knew what the word meant,
   but a quick web search indicated I was wrong.  Check out
   <http://www.takeourword.com/Issue009.html>
2) "Copy books" is a term that identifies a COBOL programmer.
   (C programmers call them "include files".)
3) Think of "machine shop" or "workshop".  (I don't know if
   anyone here shops in a "shop" any more.  These days, we have
   malls, strip plazas, and big-box retailers.  :-(  )

Oh well, only a couple more hours left in this Friday.


Hans Boldt, ILE RPG Development, IBM Toronto Lab, boldt@ca.ibm.com

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