Semantic-based linking

[Laurent Martelli]

>>>>> "Tril" == Tril  <dem@tunes.org> writes:

    Tril> On Sat, 26 Dec 1998, Anders Petersson wrote:

    >> I do, however, think the idea you presented is interesting. But
    >> I don't understand how you actually refer to a function without
    >> a name. Would a function name be constructed out of a
    >> description of the function, using strong syntax rules?

    Tril> No.  When the author creates a program that uses the
    Tril> function, he directly links to the function, because it is
    Tril> available in the persistent system.  When a user installs
    Tril> the new program on their system, it links to the same
    Tril> function the author linked to.  If it can't find one, it
    Tril> waits until a function is written or found, as soon as that
    Tril> happens the link happens and afterwards you can use the new
    Tril> program.

I fond this notion semantic-based linking very interesting. I've been
thinking about the problem of equality of information that arises when
two systems want to communicate. I think that the problem of equality
of 'procedure' that you're talking about is just a special of the one
of equality of information, because procedures and code are just data
used by a machine that interprets them. 

But let's examine the semantic-based linking a litlle bit closer. The
specification of the function is itself information that has to be
transmitted between two instances of the system. If we apply the same
principle for the transmition of the specifications, we should
transmit an abstract representation of the specification, which itself
is some pieces of information. Obviously, we need to stop the
recursion sometime before the sun dies. 

And I don't how to do this whithout having some guid somewhere. The
protocole of communication between instances of the systems should
specifiy some guids for some objects. And the objects that have a guid
form the minimal system. And each instance of the system should have
at least those objects so that they can communicate with each other. 

Well, this is my point of view, but if you have a better solution, I
study it with great care.

Otherwise, we need to specify of communication protocol so that any
instances of the system care share information and communicate. 

Laurent