Re: How do I write directly to a memory address?

[Hyman Rosen <hyrosen@mail.com>]

On 2/9/2011 1:34 PM, Dmitry A. Kazakov wrote:
> "Working" needs to be defined.

Whatever the definition, "not existing" doesn't qualify.

> No, the technology must be able to produce an economically reasonable
> product. The software industry in its present state is not economically
> sustainable because the producers are not liable to software faults. Which
> means that there exist hidden costs of software paid by others. This is a
> form socialism (distribution of wealth), which is known for not working.

The cost of software is borne by manufacturers of devices which
need it to function (e.g., Apple), or by end users who purchase
it (e.g., Call of Duty: Black Ops), or by companies which build
empires on top of it and use it to acquire money in other ways
(e.g., Google). It is nonsense to say that producers are not
liable for software faults - such faults are punished by market
forces rather than legal ones, but they are indeed punished.

Socialization of software costs comes when governments fund software
development. Many of those attempts fail precisely because of the
lack of market forces pressuring the developers. Instead, they suck
money from the public until the projects are abandoned. And fairly
or no, many people would include Ada in this category.

> Here is a steak infected by botulin in front of you.
 > How do you know it works as it should?

Because I purchased it from a vendor who is subject to periodic
inspections by my city's Board of Health, who in turn bought it
from a supplier who is subject to the USDA. Before I purchased
it I examined the packaging and the appearance of the steak and
it looked much like other good steaks I have eaten in the past.
If, nevertheless, the steak is infected, I may get sick. But I
would find it unreasonable to submit each piece of food I was
about to eat to a laboratory procedure to prove its safety.