From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.4.4 (2020-01-24) on polar.synack.me X-Spam-Level: X-Spam-Status: No, score=-1.9 required=5.0 tests=BAYES_00 autolearn=ham autolearn_force=no version=3.4.4 X-Google-Thread: 103376,efe381d5ed2da234 X-Google-Attributes: gid103376,public X-Google-Language: ENGLISH,ASCII-7-bit Path: g2news1.google.com!postnews1.google.com!not-for-mail From: aschwarz@acm.org (skidmarks) Newsgroups: comp.lang.ada Subject: Re: Ada Pointer Problem Date: 6 Oct 2004 08:43:23 -0700 Organization: http://groups.google.com Message-ID: <35f054ea.0410060743.7b73aac3@posting.google.com> References: <7KadnU33z-bmpsLcRVn-og@megapath.net> NNTP-Posting-Host: 199.46.200.230 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit X-Trace: posting.google.com 1097077403 1314 127.0.0.1 (6 Oct 2004 15:43:23 GMT) X-Complaints-To: groups-abuse@google.com NNTP-Posting-Date: Wed, 6 Oct 2004 15:43:23 +0000 (UTC) Xref: g2news1.google.com comp.lang.ada:4805 Date: 2004-10-06T08:43:23-07:00 List-Id: Thank you all. I think that 'Unchecked_Access is probably the answer. But, to be a little critical, since we want to be really, really safe, we should provide a unique check/uncheck access for each bit in a pointer. That way we can be extra-special sure that: 1. The meaning is precise and clear, 2. The program will lack lucidity because of the obtuseness of the suggestion, and 3. Where one line is suitable in other languages, several are due in Ada. And yes, I am frustrated. A little anecdote. I've followed Ada since it's pre-inception in the mid-70's, and still have the original SigPlan Green Book. I liked the idea of Ada and the language of Ada, until 1988. In 1988 I had a little design problem that I wanted to solve with a pointer. I looked, and looked, and looked all over the LRM and Ada as a Second Language (by Cohen) for a pointer. After four hours I found 'Access Type'. It took four hours to solve a four minute problem. I think because of Ada snobishnes (we can do better than you can and can do it without using your keywords or terminology). I think that I'm better than fair in Ada. I also think that I'm wasting time on this language. It takes too long to do simple things, and is a research effort to do the possible but not pedestrian. Please take this as a critique and not a criticism. I would rather see improvements than be wasted by flame. art