To: snark!lojban-list@uunet.uu.net
Subject: A challenge for the list
Date: 7 Dec 89 15:19:38 EST (Thu)
From: eric@snark.uu.net
Message-Id: <8912071519.AA14725@snark.uu.net>
Status: RO

Almost all those currently on the Lojban-list have acknowledged to the
list-request or my personal address. The two I am still missing are Liz
Highleyman and lojbab himself.

Bob LeChevalier's list access is likely to be sporadic. His personal
box is a Mess-Dos machine, and he is (unfortunately) a long-distance call
from the nearest regular net access he's been able to promote, which is
me. If any of you lives in northern VA and has a UNIX box, or knows a kindly
sort who does, please help.

Yes, this list is appropriate for postings *in* Lojban. I encourage them.
We all need the practice!

Beyond this, I have a challenge for the group. Let's develop some experience
in tanru construction by developing a Lojban technical vocabulary for use in
computing.

I'll open the ball with

	sambau		computer language 

This is a simple, elegant tanru (`computer type of language' => sam + ban).
But what should its place structure be? What sumti should it take?

Another one:

	samymri		electronic-mail ... to ... from ... by carrier ...

(the tanru is `computer type of mail').

Yet another

	samjulne	computer network for purpose ... using carrier ...

(An unreduced lujvo...would the reduced form be better?). 

Here's a trickier question. How should lojban express the difference between
`algorithm' and `program'? And should the obvious tanru `machine method' be
used for either or does it really correspond to English `automation'?

Other terms for which it would be interesting to develop lujvo include
`compiler', `interpreter', `executable', `file', `operating system', `main
memory' and `mass storage'. You can doubtless add 50 of your own.

It might help if you adopt as a goal being able to describe the environment
you post from precisely in Lojban.

Let's see some discussion on this. And...what about a lujvo for `electron
ic mailing list'?

						>>eric>>

eric@snark.uu.net = eric%snark@uunet.uu.net     -->     Eric S. Raymond