[PD] [*] vs [*~]

[Mathieu Bouchard]

On Wed, 27 Dec 2006, Tim Blechmann wrote:
> Matju wrote:
>> why is it that [*] is only for floats, whereas if you want to multiply two
>> signals one has to use [*~] ?
> why do patch cords have different width?

Because Miller added that in 0.35 or 0.36 or some other release. But more 
deeply: because it reflects the nature of the implementation of pd or of 
its limitations. If it wanted to make more distinctions, it could have 
separated the patchcord types by message types and add several kind of 
zigzags, stipples, colours, etc. For example, in this diagram,

   http://www.videogamecritic.net/images/coleco/jumpman_junior.gif

There are short zigzag cords vs long zigzag cords, and those inform the 
user about what those cords are for. (The red vs green distinction is 
optional, so that the visual appearance of the diagram communicates the 
same information if a two-tone display is used.)

> why is there no |!/~| object like in max/msp?

I don't know. Where's the [swap] that can support signals? ;)

> and why is expr~ so slow?

I don't know, this might deserve a look (or a rewrite).

> why are the inlets of |pow~| reversed?

Because it was supposed to be called [!pow~] instead?

> I had nothing to offer anybody except my own confusion
>  Jack Kerouac

I'd rather have your confusion, than the certainty that some people 
offer...

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| Mathieu Bouchard - tél:+1.514.383.3801 - http://artengine.ca/matju
| Freelance Digital Arts Engineer, Montréal QC Canada