Re: What the compiler does, or not?

[Hans Boldt <boldt@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Don wrote:
> On Wed, 2 Jul 2003, Scott Klement wrote:
>
>
> > Incidentally, since we're nit picking today, it's "program" not
> > "programme", and it's "areas" not "areas."
>
>
> Actually, I may get corrected here, but either is correct.  I'm not
> totally up on the Queen's English and depending on how recently I've been
> mulling through the Financial or London Times, I sometimes see that
> showing up in some of my article drafts.   Drives my editors nuts when I
> read foreign publications before writing a Spotlight draft...
>
> It kinda adds a spot of colour to thier day...:)

Ahh! That old tempest of nitpicking on spelling and grammar!

Me, I've pretty much given up trying to write 100% correct English, 
regardless of regional variation, even though grammar and spelling 
was one of my best subjects in primary school. I think the final 
straw for me was when I learned (about 30 years after primary 
school) that under Canadian English spelling rules, "honourary" is a 
misspelling of the word "honorary". Apparently, many Canadians, in 
their zeal to avoid American spelling rules, keep the letter "u" in 
certain words where Canadian English spelling rules require the "u" 
to be dropped. Frankly, I really don't care anymore. In general, I 
tend to prefer the American spelling rules, and I don't consider 
myself anti-Canadian for spelling "flavor" and "color" without a 
"u". Or for writing "center" and "meter" instead of "centre" and 
"metre".

Anyways, as far as I'm concerned, it's the job of the lexicographer 
to describe how the language is used, not to prescribe its proper usage.

Oh yeah, to get back on subject, it does bother me a bit when people 
use the word "compiler" when they really mean "RPG run-time". But 
then again, it's usually clear from context anyways.

Cheers! Hans