Re: Properties

[Shark8 <onewingedshark@gmail.com>]

On Dec 2, 12:46 pm, Adam Beneschan <a...@irvine.com> wrote:
> On Dec 2, 8:45 am, Warren <ve3...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
>
> > Shark8 expounded innews:618677c8-a44f-443e-9052-a94fb48c999a@s4g2000yql.googlegro
> > ups.com:
>
> > >> Ya, that seems to be a sensible approach. It's hard for me
> > >> to forget a lifetime of C-based brainwashing. ;-)
>
> > >> Warren
>
> > > The Unix-hater's Handbook has a nice chapter on C-based
> > > programming... I found the explanation of what C's "arrays"
> > > are to be most helpful in a [required] C class I took
> > > later. It's freely downloadable here:
> > >http://simson.net/ref/ugh.pdf
>
> > I am actually a fan of Unix/Linux. And C arrays/pointers must
> > be groked early, if you want to survive the art of any serious
> > C programming!
>
> > But the text looks like an amusing read, so I'll read it on my
> > commute home. It'll be interesting to see what some folks find
> > to hate about Unix. The only detracting thing I find about it,
> > is simply the fact that it is well steeped in C.
>
> I couldn't actually find the part about arrays that Shark8 alluded to
> (although I didn't look very hard).  However, I did find the section
> "Creators Admit C, Unix Were Hoax".
>
> > But then, prior to Unix, O/S's were usually steeped in
> > assembler language (like OS/2 for a modern example).  C has
> > been a big improvement in that regard.
>
> Yes, the big disadvantage that assembler had over C was that, despite
> the fact that its mnemonics can be cryptic, they are actually based on
> English words and use real letters, which meant that there was a real
> possibility that the rookie programmer in the next cubicle might
> actually be able to understand and fix your program, leading to loss
> of job security.  I think that was one of the problems C was designed
> to address.
>
> :) :) :) Just kidding!
>
>                                  -- Adam

Interesting you should mention that; I got into a discussion elsewhere
about OSes and the influence of the programming languages they're
developed in. One of the people in the discussion did an analysis/
recommendation for Microsoft right after windows came out... their
recommendation was to re-encoded in Ada.

...and on the note of 'job security,' on that same discussion was
posted this link:
http://www-users.cs.york.ac.uk/~susan/joke/cpp.htm