Re: Where is the elusive jump command?

[Richard D Riehle <laoXhai@ix.netcom.com>]

In article <8brfm4$4uc$1@nnrp1.deja.com>,
	Robert Dewar <robert_dewar@my-deja.com> wrote:

>As for pointers, I would NEVER tell people about *aliased* until
>they understood the language well.

A little problem with this.  We do need to get students to a point
where they do understand how to use access types, including general
access types.  However, I do believe introducing things such as
_aliased_ needs to be done in some understandable context.  I usually
say that certain reserved words, such as the _is_ before a set of
declarations, the _aliased_ and certain other seemingly extra words
are in keeping with Ada's underlying goal:  a language for which a 
compiler can be developed that will maximize the amount of error
checking as early in the software development process as possible.

To write such a compiler, it is necessary to include certain reserved
words and syntactic constructs that "tip off" the compiler to possible
problems.  The word _aliased_ seems to me to be one of those "tip-off
the compiler" words.  This can later be augmented with a more technical
explanation, but it works well for most early students when explained 
within the framework of the above stated goals.  

Richard Riehle