Where does 'm' come from?

Archived
1

I’m a big fan of m, was just wondering…

Is it safe to say that it is a variation on VISUAL BASIC’s Me keyword? Where does it come from?

2

Great question! i have been asking the same thing and even people that should be in the know had no idea.

Alternative hypothesis: perhaps it’s short for “My_precious!” variable (from LoTR) :face_with_tongue:

3

“belltown” wrote:

Do you think that if enough of us contributed to a Wikipedia article, we could turn this hypothesis into an actual fact?
An alternate fact at the very least I would think. I’m in.

Komag 4

:laughing:

5

m is from Casino Royale like 1953. In BrightScript, which m are we referencing to?

My votes are for John Backus and Harold Lawson.

6

“Tajson” wrote:
My votes are for John Backus and Harold Lawson.
i require explanation

7

“EnTerr” wrote:

“Tajson” wrote:
My votes are for John Backus and Harold Lawson.
i require explanation
The father of FORTRAN and the father of the pointer? Kinda depends on how you use the m.

8

“Tajson” wrote:

“EnTerr” wrote:

“Tajson” wrote:
My votes are for John Backus and Harold Lawson.i require explanationThe father of FORTRAN and the father of the pointer? Kinda depends on how you use the m.
I still don’t get it, re how they are related.

m is a special variable holding the invocation context:

  • If a function was called “straight”, as in myFun() or main(), then on entering the function m=GetGlobalAA().

  • If OTOH it was called “like a method” - myAA.myFun() - then on entering m=myAA so we can do poor man’s object-oriented programming.