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Path: utzoo!utcsrgv!utcsstat!nishri
From: nishri@utcsstat.UUCP (Alex Nishri)
Newsgroups: net.lang
Subject: Re: I/O operations in programming languages
Message-ID: <1051@utcsstat.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 12-Sep-83 01:19:56 EDT
Article-I.D.: utcsstat.1051
Posted: Mon Sep 12 01:19:56 1983
Date-Received: Mon, 12-Sep-83 04:48:10 EDT
References: <497@ritcv.UUCP>, <693@mit-eddie.UUCP>
Organization: U. of Toronto, Canada
Lines: 17

The 'file' and 'array' are abstract concepts.  Although these
concepts once had a basis in physical media they no longer have to. 
The compiler writer and the operating system writer can implement the
abstract concepts in any way they chose.  For example, many UNIX systems
implement some larger arrays as buffered random access files (known by
implementers as 'virtual storage.')

I think the notion of a 'slow variable' is really the same as the
better defined concept of 'file.'  And just as notion of passing of
files between subroutines is recognized in many language definitions
so I think the 'slow variable' could be passed as a parameter.  In
fact, I think we could implement 'slow variables' in terms of 'files'
with a few macro preprocessor instructions.

Alex Nishri
University of Toronto
 ... utcsstat!nishri