Re: why learn C?

[<adaworks@sbcglobal.net>]

"Randy Brukardt" <randy@rrsoftware.com> wrote in message 
news:eujrs1$9e$1@jacob-sparre.dk...
> <adaworks@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
> news:o2cPh.4026$u03.1786@newssvr21.news.prodigy.net...
>>  I cannot imagine anyone writing a column
>> called "Obfuscated Ada."
>
> Not a column, perhaps, but surely you could write an interesting article.
> Ada has plenty of ways to write something simple in wonderfully long-winded
> ways which potentially harm readability. And there are various non-obvious
> idioms that are very handy, like using Boolean'Pos to get the effect of a
> conditional expression:
>
> Something : Integer := Boolean'Pos(<condition>)*Function1 + Boolean'Pos(not
> <condition>)*Function2;
>
This does not compare with the possibilities for obfuscation in C++.   Further,
we know quite a bit about this example early, even though we may not know
what its intent is on first reading.

I do know that there is no automatic promotion of values.  I am confident that
Something, as described is of type Integer.   I am also secure in understanding
that the expression needs to evaluate to a predefined type Integer.   Type
qualification, Boolean'Pos(...) ensures there is no type mismatch anywhere
in the expression.

In other words, one can easily reason about the expression without knowing
its details.

Richard Riehle