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Re: Neutron diffraction experiments

  • To: Multiple recipients of list <coredmg@iucr.org>
  • Subject: Re: Neutron diffraction experiments
  • From: "I. David Brown" <idbrown@mcmail.CIS.McMaster.CA>
  • Date: Tue, 24 Feb 1998 14:40:35 GMT
	Having had a little time to think about this matter, and having
originally favoured Brian's first solution, I have come to agree with him
that the second solution is the best.  I would, however, prefer to stay as
close to the 'attribute' idea by avoiding creating a refine_neutron
category.  I would suggest a name such as _refine_diff_density_nd_*.  This
would allow a corresponding *_ed_* to be defined if it were ever
necessary.

	The idea of attributes has a philosophical appeal (even if at this
stage it makes for programming difficulties) because it opens the
possibility of the creation of names not given in the dictionary.  Normal
language not only has a large vocabulary of words, but it contains a set
of rules for generating new words as the need arises, e.g. groceteria. 
The rules ensure that the word (even if inelegant) will be understood and
the same should be possible for cif-like languages.  However, this is all
a long way down the road, and we should learn to walk before running.  But
it is also good to think about the possibilities that lie ahead of us.


*****************************************************
Dr.I.David Brown,  Professor Emeritus
Brockhouse Institute for Materials Research, 
McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Tel: 1-(905)-525-9140 ext 24710
Fax: 1-(905)-521-2773
idbrown@mcmaster.ca
*****************************************************

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