About asking questions

Maybe a very silly question for my part, but why lots of threads on this board use the verb "won't work":

"Something won't work"

Shouldn't be better to say "This code is not working" or "This code doesn't work"? Or is that a kind of casual expression?

Thank's
Niara

P.S. I'm not usual english writer/reader/speaker/listener.

"Won't work" is a valid phrase. It is used to indicate that despite attempts to fix the problems with the code, it still doesn't work. It's kind of short for "No matter what I try, this code will not work."

>"Something won't work"
>Shouldn't be better to say "This code is not working" or "This code doesn't work"?
From a forum perspective, no. All three statements are 100% uninformative and serve only to force a return question: "How is it not working?"

Ok I see. Thank's.

Niara

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Niara

Shouldn't be better to say "This code is not working" or "This code doesn't work"?

---

Grammatically speaking; Yes, it would be better. And good on you for noticing. "Won't" alludes to a a matter of will, and code obviously has no such thing... despite the occasional appearance to the contrary. :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by lightatdawn

a matter of will, and code obviously has no such thing...

---

I don't know, my code always seems to be less willing to compile in the wee hours of the morning ;)

QuantumPete

Sure that's because in my idiom that's a non-sense expression: if I say "something doesn't work" it means that I have tested it previously, but if I say "something won't work" means that I can imagine that will fail for some reasons althought I haven't tested yet, and I'm sure that nobody on the board asks for a problem on a code that haven't tested :) And I'm more sure that the future mode is not used because a problem on a code make it non compilable/linkable; of course, that program won't work because I can't compile the code :)

Well, a new entry in my list of verbs:

1-. Google for: search on the google
2-. Won't work: mmm, well I won't use it

Niara

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Niara

I'm sure that nobody on the board asks for a problem on a code that haven't tested

---

You'd be surprised! If you stay around for a while, I'm sure you'll see someone doing just that - basically asking US to compile and debug his/her program.

Quote:

---

And I'm more sure that the future mode is not used because a problem on a code make it non compilable/linkable; of course, that program won't work because I can't compile the code :)

---

Again, some people have no concept of "do it yourself", but rather "if I can, I'll ask someone else to do it for me [For Free of course - it is the internet after all]".

--
Mats

"Information wants to be free" and code wants to be broken. We personify objects in colloquial language all the time. I've gotten used to it, myself. About the only thing that annoys me mildly is people who call their question a doubt. As in: "Doubt about foo function" or "Doubt about pointers".

matsp: yes I suppose it, but my condition of hobby-programmer makes me think that everyone enjoys coding it's own work :) . I have seen someone here with a signature picture that says 'printf("Do your own homework");' (sorry, I can't remember to who belongs).

citizen: yes, I also have done that mistake on a thread; iMalc explained the right usage of 'doubt' and 'question':

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by iMalc

Well I'm not going to help you much with you code today, but I am going to help you with your english.
1. Do not confuse 'doubt' with 'question'. This drives some people nuts. You have a question. You can be in doubt about something:confused: , but that does not mean you are asking a question. Safest way is probably to never use the word 'doubt'.
2. English questions do not start with an upside-down question mark. I know some other languages do, but not English.
Actually I had a bit of a chuckle at 'non mallocated variables' too.:D

Codewise:
Please indent your code next time.
Also whatever you do, make sure that you free what you malloc.

---

Niara

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Niara

matsp: yes I suppose it, but my condition of hobby-programmer makes me think that everyone enjoys coding it's own work :) . I have seen someone here with a signature picture that says 'printf("Do your own homework");' (sorry, I can't remember to who belongs).

---

MacGyver. :)

Yeah, thank's dwks

Niara