[Zope3-dev] Re: [Zope3-checkins] CVS: Zope3/src/zope/schema -_bootstrapfields.py:1.19.2.1

[Steve Alexander]

> Here's the core of the problem: there is already a shared understanding 
> of the word "required" that doesn't fit your definition.  When you fill 
> out a form on many web sites, some of the text fields are marked with an 
> asterisk.  Some explanatory text says "Fields marked with an asterisk 
> are required".  It would be more precise for them to say such fields 
> "require non-empty input", but that's more verbose than necessary.  The 
> same word is used on paper forms as well.
> 
> We could just keep the mismatched definition, but then programmers and 
> managers would understand the word differently.  (Actually, we have that 
> problem already--in real life, a form does not have "widgets", it has 
> "fields".  Such is life. ;-) )

"Ceci n'est pas une pipe"
A "field" on a paper form is a representation of a field. Anything on 
paper is a representation, unless you're talking about paper, charcoal, 
ink or graphite. I'll redirect the rest of this to the zope3-metaphysics 
list :-)

--
Steve Alexander