Re: ATAN function with two ARGS

[Ben Tupper <tupper(at)seadas.bigelow.org>]

David Fanning wrote:

> Ben Tupper (tupper@seadas.bigelow.org) writes:
>
> > If this argument is supplied, ATAN returns the angle whose tangent
> > is equal to Y/X. If both arguments are zero, the result is undefined.
>
> Notice they don't say the "result of the function" is
> undefined. If they did, I could understand your confusion.
> But here they have made a truthful and accurate statement.
> *Implying* that they were talking about the result of the
> function is an old technical writers trick that allows one
> to remain truthful, while still confusing the rift-raft.
>
> You have to read this documentation *much* more carefully,
> Ben, if you have any hopes of winning a commission
> in the IDL Expert Programmers Association. :-)
>

Geez,

I am beginning to suspect that entry into IDL EPA requires much more
subtle documentation than I have been writing.    From now on I'm writing
with a renewed spirit of obfiscation.   Where's my thesarus?!

You don't suppose that Oscar Gamble wrote the documentation do you?

Ben


--
Ben Tupper

Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Science
tupper@seadas.bigelow.org

pemaquidriver@tidewater.net