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What's the difference between algorithmic and syntactic?
"When you map a TinWoodman inventory management entity to an XFiles object,
it is a straightforward algorithmic (syntactic) transformation of the
TinWoodman inventory management entity name to an XFiles object name."
Okay... so what extra emphasis is being leant to algorithmic by adding
(syntactic) after it in brackets? I thought I knew (roughly) what both words
meant, and (roughly) they do mean much the same - algorithmic means the
mapping proceeds step by step, and syntactic means the mapping is done
according to syntax. Would it mean the same if I changed it to:
"When you map a TinWoodman inventory management entity to an XFiles object,
it is a straightforward algorithmic and syntactic transformation of a
TinWoodman inventory management entity name to an XFiles object name."
But I think this may sound too much like over-definition - like saying
something is "higher and taller". (I'd like to get rid of "straightforward"
too, as my style guide warns me not to say something is easy as it will only
irritate further an already-frustrated user!)
I'm on digest: e-mail me offlist and I'll post a summary of replies.
Thanks,
Jane Carnall
jane -dot- carnall -at- compaq -dot- com
Technical Writer, Compaq, UK
Unless stated otherwise, these opinions are mine, and mine alone.
