Notational Misunderstanding (was Re: Oversize / Dropped Caps and Initials)

Brother Baker ([email protected])
Tue, 11 Jul 1995 13:07:52 -0500 (CDT)


On Tue, 11 Jul 1995, Benjamin C. W. Sittler wrote, considering notation:

> I would say that the ordering is correct... big.font and plain font is
> the most general, .size the most specific.

Forgive me. But, I don't understand.
Can someone help me?

I would think that if not "font.size.big" then it would AT LEAST be
"font.big.size". I mean, the most general seems to be plain "font",
followed either by size or big. Why the other way around?

I seem to understand you, by using this notation, to mean that if
"[.]font[.]" were anywhere within the classification, then the current
class should have its attributes cascaded from "font". I do NOT
find it intuitive to say that.

If you say "big.font.size", _I_ would expect the set of "big.img",
"big.font", "big.whatever" to inherit from "big". (Which I don't
REALLY think makes a lot of sense.)
(Or maybe, _I_ don't make sense. Am I just confused?)

--James Baker / http://www.mtsu.edu/~applemac
MTCSC Home / http://www.mtsu.edu/~mtcsc