Re: Lack of formal syntax undermines Ada

["(see below)" <yaldnif.w@blueyonder.co.uk>]

On 12/04/2008 13:57, in article wccod8f1ba9.fsf@shell01.TheWorld.com,
"Robert A Duff" <bobduff@shell01.TheWorld.com> wrote:

> John McCabe <john@nospam.assen.demon.co.uk.nospam> writes:
> 
>> Robert A Duff <bobduff@shell01.TheWorld.com> wrote:
>> 
>>> John McCabe <john@nospam.assen.demon.co.uk.nospam> writes:
>>> 
>>>> As I understand it, that was deliberate; Ada's feature that functions
>>>> may not have side-effects ...
>>> 
>>> Ada functions can have side effects.
>> 
>> Bugger - where did I get that idea from then (have to admit, it's been
>> a while since I paid a lot of attention to Ada!)
> 
> Perhaps from the fact that 'in out' and 'out' parameters are illegal for
> functions.  As Robert Dewar likes to point out, the effect of this rule
> is that functions can have side effects, so long as they are not
> properly documented.  ;-)
> 
> Functions can modify global variables if they are visible.
> Functions can also modify data via pointers.

And they can call procedures or entries that can do almost anything.

-- 
Bill Findlay
<surname><forename> chez blueyonder.co.uk