Comment by scott_w
3 months ago
> What you could do is take a language that has arbitrary starting index value and set it to something weird. Like 42 or -5. Then rewrite your programs. See how many off by 41 errors you make. Then once you no longer make mistakes with it. Go back to 0 indexes.
Do you need me to comment on the difference between 0 and 42?
No.
But you need to see with eyes of a newbie. I mean what is the problem here, you did say it's just adding or subtracting a number whether it's 0, 1, -1 or 42? Should be trivial, right?
My guess while the change of indices is simple (altering ranges by a constant), it's going to be hard (requiring constant mental effort until it's internalized).
> I mean what is the problem here, you did say it's just adding or subtracting a number whether it's 0, 1, -1 or 42? Should be trivial, right?
Apparently I do need to comment but I don't think any human on earth has the words to convince you that, as a human, adding/subtracting by 1 is a billion times easier to understand than adding/subtracting 42.
> adding/subtracting by 1 is a billion times easier to understand than adding/subtracting 42.
Ok, then add start your indices with something else 1 or 2, -1 would be best but probably not well supported. Whatever you aren't used to.
Also why is substracting a small number such a problem? I never found adding/substracting 1, much more difficult than 42. It's just math.
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