Re: Crosspost: Help wanted from comp.compilers

[Robert A Duff <bobduff@shell01.TheWorld.com>]

Ed Falis <falis@verizon.net> writes:

> On 17 Jul 2003 15:24:40 -0400
> Robert A Duff <bobduff@shell01.TheWorld.com> wrote:
> 
> > I don't claim this particular behavior is a bug, but surely something
> > can be a bug even if not mentioned in the Ada standard, and mentioned
> > in the compiler's manual!  For example, if an Ada compiler deleted the
> > source files from the disk after compiling them, that would be a bug.
> > The Ada standard doesn't forbid it, and it's still a bug even if the
> > compiler's manual documents it.
> 
> No, then it's a "feature" and caveat emptor!

;-)

> Taking a statement that would make sense in most contexts and driving it
> to a logical and absurd conclusion doesn't invalidate its sensibility in
> most contexts.  All it does is point to that fact that other evaluative
> criteria than classification as a bug are at play.

OK, sorry, I was being overly argumentative.

But we all do in fact argue whether something-or-other is a "feature" or
a "bug".  And it's based on whether we think something-or-other is good
behavior, not on whether some document says so.

- Bob