Pass the Marmalade (Re: How to write a sorting program that will sort everything?)

[Blair P. Houghton]

In article <2052 at necisa.ho.necisa.oz.au> boyd at necisa.ho.necisa.oz.au (Boyd Roberts) writes:
>In article <3418 at inews.intel.com> bhoughto at nevin.intel.com (Blair P. Houghton) writes:
>>It still doesn't solve the problem of "sorting any data
>>type", since that problem is impossible to solve (I.e., you
>>have to know in advance the types that may be passed, which
>>necessarily omits those types you do not know and which
>>are, by the definition of the word "any", part of the set
>>"any data type").
>
>Damn right.
>So how are going to sort strudels?  Define the pastry comparison operator.

The real problem here is that you pass only a pointer to
the array of strudel, which means that qfat(3) can scribble
all over it in colored icing and slice off thick pieces for
itself.

>Which has precedence?  Sweet or savory?

Call for votes:  comp.std.c.baking
    This group will be for the purpose of deciding
    where to go _after_ lunch each day.

    Moderated? If we did moderated, would we *be*
    this portly? Hmm?

>Is there a native comparison operator that I can use with a #pragma?

I believe ANSI X3.159-1989 handles the problem of
pectin when it deals with implicit fruit-casting
in frosting calls with or without a frosting prototype
in scope.

Something about the "default rum-raisin promotions."

Drat.  I left my copy of the Standard on the other
corner of my desk.  Anyone know the answer?

>Remember:  Strudels are tricky.

Sticky!  You have to Set the Sticky bit so as not to sort
the Same Strudel twice; this forces all Strudel Sorts to
become Single-pass Strudel Sorts.

Oh, but I forget, the Sticky bit is patented, and that's UNIX(TM).
(Followups to comp.unix.MrsFields.internals).

Seems like the Standard should have dealt with Sticky _buns_.

What does POSIX have to say about this?

				--Blair
				  "Replies via flaky crust only, please."