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From: dhesi@bsu-cs.UUCP (Rahul Dhesi)
Newsgroups: comp.mail.uucp
Subject: Say "preference" rather than "precedence" in network addresses (was: Re: UUCP map changes (important!))
Message-ID: <908@bsu-cs.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 31-Jul-87 13:47:05 EDT
Article-I.D.: bsu-cs.908
Posted: Fri Jul 31 13:47:05 1987
Date-Received: Sun, 2-Aug-87 08:34:30 EDT
References: <112@stargate.UUCP>
Reply-To: dhesi@bsu-cs.UUCP (Rahul Dhesi)
Organization: CS Dept, Ball St U, Muncie, Indiana
Lines: 26
Summary: Common usage of "precedence" in network addresses violates  several hundred years of usage in algebra

In article <112@stargate.UUCP> pleasant@rutgers.EDU (Mel Pleasant) writes:
>RFC976 defines the @ network character as having precedence over
>the bang (!) when both appear in mixed mode addresses.

The quoted use of the term "precedence" is frequently used to mean that
when a mailer sees a construct of the form a!b@c it groups it as
(a!b)@c rather than a!(b@c).

This is an unfortunate use.  Consider the statement:

     My algebra book defines the * arithmetic character as having
     precedence over the plus (+) in arithmetic expressions.

This, by analogy with the previous quote, would imply that a+b*c would
be grouped as (a+b)*c rather than as a+(b*c), which is wrong.  I
suggest that, since this topic is not going to go away, we say
"preference" rather than precedence.  Thus:

     RFC976 defines the @ network character as having preference over
     the bang (!) when both appear in mixed mode addresses.

There was an established meaning for the phrase "precedence of
operators" long before any of the RFCs existed.  I believe we should
preserve that meaning.
-- 
Rahul Dhesi         UUCP:  {ihnp4,seismo}!{iuvax,pur-ee}!bsu-cs!dhesi