[texhax] the role of the tilde "~" in the set definition

[Micha Hofri]

At 11:10 on 10/17/09 Lars Madsen sent:

: P. R. Stanley wrote:
: > Hi folks
: > Here's another one taken from the Spivey text on the z (pronounced zed)
: > language:
: >     \[ \{~p: PERSON | age(p) \geq 16~\} \]
: >     A simple set definition. Any idea what the "~" is supposed to do?
: >     
: > many thanks
: > Paul
: > 
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: 
: it usually represents a non-breakable space
: 
: in math is doesn't really have any meaning, I'm guessing here that the author
: is misusing it to provide some extra space instead of using a say \ followed
: by a space.
: 
: /daleif


Why is the use of tilde in math mode a misuse?  it is the most 
keyboard-efficient of getting a controlled spacing.  I _think_ it is 
controlled...

Just puzzled,                               --Micha Hofri

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