On Mon, 19 Mar 2007 20:37:58 -0000 (GMT)
(Ted Harding)
What they are talking about is on the lines of
[2] A[->B][->D] B[->C][->A] C[->D][->B] D[->A][->C] [->C][->D] [->D][->C] [->B][->A] [->A][->B]
coerresponding to the "double linked list"
A <-> B <-> C <-> D <-> A A <-> C <-> B <-> D <-> A
i.e. it is effectively two linked lists, but over the same data, and is implemented by using only one copy of the data elements but providing each element with two sets of pointers.
Now, while the standard "doubl{e|y} linked list described at [1] above has been around since the year dot (or shortly thereafter), and is found everywhere, the second kind described at [2] above (though it has undoubtedly been implemented many times) could conceivably be considered sufficiently novel to provoke a patent application!
So my question, for clarification, is: Can anyone supply any reference of sufficiently long standing to demonstrate that the second kind of "double linked list" at [2] above is well established prior art?
For example, does it occur in standard textboooks on computer programming and data structures? Is there long-standing open source software in which it may be found? I actually implemented something like that in the mid-1980s. I don't even recall the software I implemented it in. I wonder if this is described in Knuth? -- Jerry Feldman
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