README: make it clear rustc is the compiler

[tshepang]

No description provided.

[rust-highfive]

r? @nikomatsakis

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[nagisa]

I think current text makes it pretty clear rustc is, in fact, the Rust compiler.

[tshepang]

@nagisa the listing made it look like The Rust compiler and rustc could be different things, so this PR makes it more clear.

[liigo]

Yes, it was already clear.
On Jun 19, 2015 01:14, "Simonas Kazlauskas" [email protected]
wrote:

I think current text makes it pretty clear rustc is, in fact, the Rust
compiler.

—
Reply to this email directly or view it on GitHub
#26373 (comment).

[tshepang]

@nikomatsakis only to those who are already aware that rustc is the Rust compiler

[nagisa]

@tshepang current sentence correctly uses an appositive which

identifies or renames another word in a sentence--most often a noun that immediately precedes it.
-- about.com

I strongly suggest checking out the examples in linked pages if you are not convinced.

[tshepang]

@nagisa I am aware of that usage, and that the English used here is valid. To prove it, here's another alternative that would also make things less ambiguous:

This repo contains the code for rustc, the Rust compiler. It also contains standard libraries, tools and documentation for Rust.

That's less ambiguous than the current:

This repo contains the code for rustc, the Rust compiler, as well as standard libraries, tools and documentation for Rust.

[soltanmm]

Given that we've all seen typos, poor grammar, and the like peppering various code-related documents, there is at least one possibility of ambiguity in the original sentence. This possible ambiguity arises between parsing the sentence as having poor grammar and parsing the sentence as exactly written. The change given uses English language features such as the parenthetical to significantly decrease the possibility of that ambiguity for readers skimming the text. I think this is a pragmatic change from that perspective.

[tshepang]

Support finally! Thanks @soltanmm.

[bluss]

What if we just remove the comma separation, and write it like this? This repo contains the code for the Rust compiler rustc, as well as standard libraries, tools and documentation for Rust.

[tshepang]

I think the English with your suggestion is not valid, given the meaning intended.

[steveklabnik]

@bors: r+ rollup

[bors]

📌 Commit 1cf6a82 has been approved by steveklabnik