<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="utf-8">
<title>Issue 424: normative notes</title>
<meta property="og:title" content="Issue 424: normative notes">
<meta property="og:description" content="C++ library issue. Status: NAD Editorial">
<meta property="og:url" content="https://cplusplus.github.io/LWG/issue424.html">
<meta property="og:type" content="website">
<meta property="og:image" content="http://cplusplus.github.io/LWG/images/cpp_logo.png">
<meta property="og:image:alt" content="C++ logo">
<style>
  p {text-align:justify}
  li {text-align:justify}
  pre code.backtick::before { content: "`" }
  pre code.backtick::after { content: "`" }
  blockquote.note
  {
    background-color:#E0E0E0;
    padding-left: 15px;
    padding-right: 15px;
    padding-top: 1px;
    padding-bottom: 1px;
  }
  ins {background-color:#A0FFA0}
  del {background-color:#FFA0A0}
  table.issues-index { border: 1px solid; border-collapse: collapse; }
  table.issues-index th { text-align: center; padding: 4px; border: 1px solid; }
  table.issues-index td { padding: 4px; border: 1px solid; }
  table.issues-index td:nth-child(1) { text-align: right; }
  table.issues-index td:nth-child(2) { text-align: left; }
  table.issues-index td:nth-child(3) { text-align: left; }
  table.issues-index td:nth-child(4) { text-align: left; }
  table.issues-index td:nth-child(5) { text-align: center; }
  table.issues-index td:nth-child(6) { text-align: center; }
  table.issues-index td:nth-child(7) { text-align: left; }
  table.issues-index td:nth-child(5) span.no-pr { color: red; }
  @media (prefers-color-scheme: dark) {
     html {
        color: #ddd;
        background-color: black;
     }
     ins {
        background-color: #225522
     }
     del {
        background-color: #662222
     }
     a {
        color: #6af
     }
     a:visited {
        color: #6af
     }
     blockquote.note
     {
        background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, .10)
     }
  }
</style>
</head>
<body>
<hr>
<p><em>This page is a snapshot from the LWG issues list, see the <a href="lwg-active.html">Library Active Issues List</a> for more information and the meaning of <a href="lwg-active.html#NAD_Editorial">NAD Editorial</a> status.</em></p>
<h3 id="424"><a href="lwg-closed.html#424">424</a>. normative notes</h3>
<p><b>Section:</b> 16.3.2.2 <a href="https://wg21.link/structure.summary">[structure.summary]</a> <b>Status:</b> <a href="lwg-active.html#NAD_Editorial">NAD Editorial</a>
 <b>Submitter:</b> Martin Sebor <b>Opened:</b> 2003-09-18 <b>Last modified:</b> 2016-11-12</p>
<p><b>Priority: </b>Not Prioritized
</p>
<p><b>View all issues with</b> <a href="lwg-status.html#NAD Editorial">NAD Editorial</a> status.</p>
<p><b>Discussion:</b></p>

<p>
The text in 17.3.1.1, p1 says:
<br/>

"Paragraphs labelled "Note(s):" or "Example(s):" are informative, other
paragraphs are normative."
<br/>

The library section makes heavy use of paragraphs labeled "Notes(s),"
some of which are clearly intended to be normative (see list 1), while
some others are not (see list 2). There are also those where the intent
is not so clear (see list 3).
<br/><br/>

List 1 -- Examples of (presumably) normative Notes:
<br/>

20.2.10.2 <a href="https://wg21.link/allocator.members">[allocator.members]</a>, p3,<br/>
20.2.10.2 <a href="https://wg21.link/allocator.members">[allocator.members]</a>, p10,<br/>
27.4.3.3 <a href="https://wg21.link/string.cons">[string.cons]</a>, p11,<br/>
28.3.3.1.3 <a href="https://wg21.link/locale.cons">[locale.cons]</a>, p11,<br/>
23.3.5.4 <a href="https://wg21.link/deque.modifiers">[deque.modifiers]</a>, p2,<br/>
26.8.9 <a href="https://wg21.link/alg.min.max">[alg.min.max]</a>, p3,<br/>
29.4.6 <a href="https://wg21.link/complex.ops">[complex.ops]</a>, p15,<br/>
31.6.3.5.3 <a href="https://wg21.link/streambuf.virt.get">[streambuf.virt.get]</a>, p7.<br/>
<br/>

List 2 -- Examples of (presumably) informative Notes:
<br/>

17.6.3.4 <a href="https://wg21.link/new.delete.placement">[new.delete.placement]</a>, p3,<br/>
27.4.3.7.6 <a href="https://wg21.link/string.replace">[string.replace]</a>, p14,<br/>
28.3.4.2.5.3 <a href="https://wg21.link/locale.codecvt.virtuals">[locale.codecvt.virtuals]</a>, p3,<br/>
26.6.5 <a href="https://wg21.link/alg.foreach">[alg.foreach]</a>, p4,<br/>
29.4.5 <a href="https://wg21.link/complex.member.ops">[complex.member.ops]</a>, p1,<br/>
31.5.2.6 <a href="https://wg21.link/ios.base.storage">[ios.base.storage]</a>, p6.<br/>
<br/>

List 3 -- Examples of Notes that are not clearly either normative
or informative:
<br/>

28.3.3.1.3 <a href="https://wg21.link/locale.cons">[locale.cons]</a>, p8,<br/>
28.3.3.1.6 <a href="https://wg21.link/locale.statics">[locale.statics]</a>, p6,<br/>
31.6.3.5.5 <a href="https://wg21.link/streambuf.virt.put">[streambuf.virt.put]</a>, p4.<br/>
<br/>

None of these lists is meant to be exhaustive.
</p>

<p><i>[Definitely a real problem.  The big problem is there's material
  that doesn't quite fit any of the named paragraph categories
  (e.g. <b>Effects</b>).  Either we need a new kind of named
  paragraph, or we need to put more material in unnamed paragraphs
  jsut after the signature.  We need to talk to the Project Editor
  about how to do this.
]</i></p>


<p><i>[
Bellevue: Specifics of list 3: First 2 items correct in std (22.1.1.2,
22.1.1.5) Third item should be non-normative (27.5.2.4.5), which Pete
will handle editorially.
]</i></p>


<p><i>[
post San Francisco:  Howard: reopened, needs attention.
]</i></p>


<p><i>[Pete: I changed the paragraphs marked "Note" and "Notes" to use "Remark" and "Remarks".
Fixed as editorial.  This change has been in the WD since the post-Redmond mailing, in 2004.
Recommend NAD.]</i></p>


<p><i>[
Batavia:  We feel that the references in List 2 above should be changed from <i>Remarks</i>
to <i>Notes</i>.  We also feel that those items in List 3 need to be double checked for
the same change.  Alan and Pete to review.
]</i></p>


<p><i>[
Batavia (2009-05):
]</i></p>

<blockquote>
<p>
A spot-check of List 2 suggests the issue is still relevant,
and a review of List 3 still seems called-for.
</p>
<p>
Move to NAD Editorial.
</p>
</blockquote>



<p id="res-424"><b>Proposed resolution:</b></p>




</body>
</html>
