> Date: Tue, 9 Jul 2002 12:21:38 +0100 > From: Robert Sanderson <[log in to unmask]> > > > OK, I hereby cite case-insensitivity as a requirement. It's > > crucial for sorting union catalogues where the original > > collections used different case conventions. If I look for > > Kernighan books in a ucat, I want "Software Tools" sorted next to > > "SOFTWARE TOOLS". > > But is there a requirement for the /distinction/ or can we just say > 'Sort should be treated as case insensitive' ? Are you seriously suggesting that we, who are trying to craft an IR protocol that is not a mere toy, should mandate that sorting may NEVER respect case? There are plenty of reasons why that won't do. For example, consider getting a directory listing on Unix. Many people (me included) use filenames beginning with capitals for "special" files because we know they'll be sorted separately: "COPYING" and "Makefile" and "README" won't be listed interleaved with "delete.c" and "parse.y". So what if I want to be able to use SRW to get a case-sensitively sorted directory listing? Or a list of sendmail.cf directives? Or of authors where I want "deLorean" to be treated differently from "Deloitte" and "Dern"? _/|_ _______________________________________________________________ /o ) \/ Mike Taylor <[log in to unmask]> www.miketaylor.org.uk )_v__/\ "The most important single aspect of software development is to be clear about what you are trying to build" -- Bjarne Stroustrup.