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-Language: ENGLISH,ASCII-7-bit X-Google-Thread: 103376,38159b1b5557a2e7 X-Google-Attributes: gid103376,public X-Google-ArrivalTime: 2004-01-24 11:32:21 PST Path: archiver1.google.com!news2.google.com!newsfeed2.dallas1.level3.net!news.level3.com!crtntx1-snh1.gtei.net!news.gtei.net!newsfeed1.easynews.com!easynews.com!easynews!elnk-pas-nf1!elnk-nf2-pas!newsfeed.earthlink.net!attbi_feed3!attbi_feed4!attbi.com!attbi_s04.POSTED!not-for-mail From: tmoran@acm.org Newsgroups: comp.lang.ada Subject: Re: Standard Ada Preprocessor (Was: why ada is so unpopular ?) References: <40126EA0.9090308@noplace.com> X-Newsreader: Tom's custom newsreader Message-ID: <9LzQb.143270$na.228277@attbi_s04> NNTP-Posting-Host: 67.161.24.134 X-Complaints-To: abuse@comcast.net X-Trace: attbi_s04 1074972741 67.161.24.134 (Sat, 24 Jan 2004 19:32:21 GMT) NNTP-Posting-Date: Sat, 24 Jan 2004 19:32:21 GMT Organization: Comcast Online Date: Sat, 24 Jan 2004 19:32:21 GMT Xref: archiver1.google.com comp.lang.ada:4781 Date: 2004-01-24T19:32:21+00:00 List-Id: >and you're going "Damnation! If I just had one little itsy-bitsy, >insignificant, tiny conditional compilation directive here, I'd save If the preprocessor was limited to something like --Gnat_Win32 <> --ObjectAda_Linux <> I would agree that's helpful. But as soon as the preprocessor gets non-trivial - nested conditionals, includes, etc - it's just begging for idiots (and even some otherwise non-idiots) to create a mess. I've seen C code from large and well known companies that is nearly impenetrable due to overuse of the preprocessor. If they had spent 1/10 the effort on good design-for-multiple-systems, it would have been maintainable, but it's much easier to add a (preprocessor) tweak here and there and let the mess grow. And the answer "good programmers will not misuse the language" doesn't fly very well in c.l.a.