[asterisk-users] Can someone give a plain english explanation of the HASH function?

[Alex Balashov]

Bill Andersen wrote:
> Alex Balashov wrote:
>> There is no "plain English" explanation that is not made with reference 
>> to the concept of a hash, which is an algorithmic and programmatic 
>> technique.  The HASH() function is designed for people that understand 
>> what hashing is and need to make use of it.
> 
>> So, the answer is, "it provides a hashing mechanism to the user."
> 
>> The simplest way to discover what hashing is would be to educate 
>> yourself about hash tables and associative arrays (which provide 
>> high-level, usually type-safe syntactical bindings around the use of 
>> hash tables) in other contexts, after which it should be clear. 
>> Soliciting any sort of Asterisk-specific explanation is going to give 
>> you an incomplete, oversimplified, and/or reductionist viewpoint.
> 
> You guys really don't know how to give a simple reply do you?
> 
> HASH is short for Hashish.  Get some.  Smoke it.  And you automatically
> understand the paragraph above.  It's really that simple!

I _thought_ of replying with that, but reasoned that I would be flamed 
out.  That sort of thing apparently ceases to become <humourless, stern 
frown> "unconstructive" </frown> only after the thread has evolved.  :/

-- 
Alex Balashov
Evariste Systems
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