On Thu, Jun 13, 2019 at 9:54 AM Tony Papadimitriou <
tonyp@acm.org> wrote:
"constant variable(s)" is an oxymoron. Maybe just
"constants", or else "locked variables" if these can start as regular variables
and change status afterwards?
The thing about oxymorons is that they're only APPARENTLY contradictory. They usually occur as the result of applying clarifying descriptions to a standardized term, which is exactly what happened here. If the meaning is clear, there's nothing wrong with them. And "constant variable" is a common, well-understood term in computer programming, so using anything BESIDES that would be MORE confusing than the oxymoronic usage.
/s/ Adam
Of note, it's also only an apparent contradiction in this case if you aren't looking deeply enough into it. "It's constant but it varies?" Well, yes. It is, in fact, a variable. It is a variable which does not vary after it is assigned, but its value COULD vary from run to run as a result of differing conditions at time of assignment.
"Constant variable" is distinguished from "constant value" which is usually a literal instead of a symbolic identifier.
/s/ Adam
