Re: Numbering

[Loren Castro <lfc -at- SOL -dot- CHINALAKE -dot- NAVY -dot- MIL>]

John Posada asks about government numbering:

> Would I have been able to put a 2.1 if I hadn't used a 2.2?
> If not, how do I do a 2.1.1 and a 2.1.2 if I hadn't used a 2.2

My response:

The basic answer to the first question is yes.  That's easy for
me to say because I write to government standards.  I didn't like
this style at first, but I'm accustomed to it now, and I think that
it's superior for technical work.

I identify Section 2 (for example) as 2 (or 2.0) <SECTION HEADING>,
and I have no text under this heading if I can help it.  That means
that I must have a paragraph 2.1 if I want to write anything even if
I don't have a paragraph 2.2.  This might conflict with what we learned
in grammer school, but I like it.  It's consistent, and it complies
with the standards.

John's response to my response:

Hmmm...

It was specificaly BECAUSE of numbering to government standards that
I was told that you cannot have a 2.1 of there is no 2.2

They never even TOUCHED on numbering when I was in grammar school...was that
part of the New Math?  (ga-head..tell me you're too young to even remember the
"New Math"

My response to John's response to my response:

I could have stated it differently.

1.  The standards don't forbid me to have a 2.1 without a 2.2.

2.  I like it that way, so I do it that way.  I haven't been
    arrested yet.

3.  I'm way too *old* to remember New Math.

lfc -at- sol -dot- chinalake -dot- navy -dot- mil