Binary search

Peter Hansen peter at engcorp.com
Thu Jan 16 08:56:34 EST 2003


Bengt Richter wrote:
> 
> On Wed, 15 Jan 2003 22:28:18 -0500, Peter Hansen <peter at engcorp.com> wrote:
> >In any case, the OP fairly clearly indicated that he understood
> >what the term "binary search" usually meant, and that he did not
> >in fact mean that meaning...
> >
> (Continuing with nits ;-)
> I'm sure the OP understood the distinctions, and in later posts
> explicitly indicated what he meant, but my first impression was from
> """
> Hi,
> 
> I'm looking for a function that allows me to do a binary search in a file.
> Can anyone point me in the good direction?
> 
> Thanks in advacne,
> 
> Rudy
> """
> I.e., it said "a binary search in a file" not "a search in a binary file".

Please don't try to change history.  You're conveniently leaving out
part of the query.  An accurate quotation is this:

"""I'm looking for a function that allows me to do a binary search in a file.
   By binary search I mean searching for a sequence of bytes and not the binary
   search as in the Python Cookbook
   (http://aspn.activestate.com/ASPN/Cookbook/Python/Recipe/81188)

   Can anyone point me in the good direction?
"""

Now what part of the sentence starting with "By binary search I mean..."
is unclear to you?  He clearly (to me) is saying that although he's used
the term "binary search", he understands that it has a more standard
definition but that he *does not mean that definition* (and, we should
assume, he just couldn't think of another term for what he wants).

-Peter




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