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Date: Fri, 09 Feb 2001 09:07:59 -0500
From: John Colagioia <JColagioia@csi.com>
Organization: No Conspiracy Here...
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Subject: Re: [Inform] Where is French.h?
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Richard Bos wrote:

> John Colagioia <JColagioia@csi.com> wrote:
> > I was just pointing out that many instruction booklets.  Uhm...let's
> > see...Wishbringer looks like a good example:  "Wishbringer usually acts
> > as if your sentence begins with 'I want to...,' although you shouldn't
> > actually type those words."  Looks like most of the other Infocom
> > guides make this comment.
> Of course, this fails for 'HELLHOUND, BITE INFERNAL MACHINE', and the
> "imperative" view doesn't; or at least, it can be forced to fit the
> imperative view.

Maybe I've been programming too long, but this would actually make sense to
me, since the "HELLHOUND, " tag  is basically "redirecting" the comment to
another character, making this "HELLHOUND, (I want you to) BITE INFERNAL
MACHINE."  Kind of like using file handles...or device numbers on the C64...

Again, I'm not defending either position (I don't think--I hope I'm not,
anyway).  Just pointing out that there is known and accessible documentation
supporting the infinitive view.

That's why I asked about the German Zork.  Presumably, that would make a
"first-hand account" to match up to the documentation--at least for Infocom's
take on the situation.


