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# is_computer_on_fire() - Everything2.com
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# is_computer_on_fire()
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| ([thing][2]) | by [**beek][3]** | Fri Aug 18 2000 at 16:51:09 |
`double **is_computer_on_fire(** void **)**`
: [BeOS][4] [kernel][5] function, returns the [temperature][6] of the [motherboard][7] if the [computer][8] is currently on fire. [Smoldering][9] doesn't count. If the computer isn't on fire, the function returns some other value. _([Be Book][10])_
_see also:_ [is_computer_on()][11]
* * *
to be [consistent][12] with the [naming][13] [convention][14]s used in the rest of the [BeOS][4] [API][15], this function should really be
static bool BComputer::isOnFire();
and should return false if the computer _is not_ on fire. I guess it's okay to return an undefined value when the computer _is_ on fire.
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| [I like it!][16] | [1 **C!**][17] |
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| ([idea][18]) | by [**ariels][19]** | Thu Sep 14 2000 at 11:34:11 |
This definitely lowers my opinion of [BeOS][4]. The [coding style][20] used is [terrible][21]! You should _never_ name your [predicate][22]s `is_`_something_. A predicate is not [_ask][23]ing_ a [question][24], it is [_answer][25]ing_ it. Consider this [code fragment][26]:
>
>
> if (is_computer_on_fire()) {
> dump_halon(computer_room);
> }
>
You cannot read it [out loud][27], because it doesn't sound like [English][28].
Much better alternatives would be [`computer][8]_is_on[_fire][29]()`, `computer_on_fire()` or the [Lisp][30]-like `computer_on_fire_p()` (using [the -P convention][31]). All of these let you read your code.
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| [I like it!][32] | |
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| ([idea][33]) | by [**SlightlyMadman][34]** | Thu Sep 14 2000 at 13:34:22 |
Actually, [ariels][35], I'd say your suggestions are just as [flawed][36]. The big problem I see with this [function][37], is that it looks, by its name, to be returning a [boolean][38] value, where it actually returns a [double][39]. I say it would more properly be named something along the lines of [getFlamingMotherboardTemperature][40], or something like that.
Of course, I was greatly amused by this, and [is_computer_on()][11], and immediately included them in the function [library][41] I'm currently using in a production system, to replace the [random number generators][42].
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| [I like it!][43] | [1 **C!**][44] |
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| [is_computer_on()][45] | [The -P convention][46] | [lpt on fire][47] | [New UNIX filesystem permissions based on Everything2 behavior][48] |
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[16]: https://everything2.com/title/is_computer_on_fire%2528%2529?like_id=710134&confirmop=ilikeit "send a message to the author telling them someone likes their work"
[17]: https://everything2.com/title/is_computer_on_fire%2528%2529?showwidget=showCs710134 "1 users found this writeup COOL"
[31]: https://everything2.com/title/the+-P+convention "the -P convention"
[32]: https://everything2.com/title/is_computer_on_fire%2528%2529?like_id=747788&confirmop=ilikeit "send a message to the author telling them someone likes their work"
[42]: https://everything2.com/title/random+number+generators "random number generators"
[43]: https://everything2.com/title/is_computer_on_fire%2528%2529?like_id=747878&confirmop=ilikeit "send a message to the author telling them someone likes their work"
[44]: https://everything2.com/title/is_computer_on_fire%2528%2529?showwidget=showCs747878 "1 users found this writeup COOL"
