Re: Paying developers to get features faster

From: Barry Margolin (barmar_at_alum.mit.edu)
Date: 01/24/04

  • Next message: Matt Palmer: "Re: Paying developers to get features faster" 
    Date: Sat, 24 Jan 2004 01:56:45 GMT

    In article <k33310hjf6f2j8k3qmbtfsvg242tps7cm2@4ax.com>,
     Brad Olin <bwo@bwo1.com> wrote:

    > >I might be thinking silly here but why not write
    > >
    > ><var> = <expression>;
    > >if (<var>) ....
    > >
    >
    > Actually, it should have been coded as...
    >
    > if ((<var> = <exp>) != 0)
    >
    > and your solution should be coded as...
    >
    > <var> = <exp>;
    > if (<var> != 0)
    >
    > The ANSI C language assumes a non-zero compare by default. All you are
    > trying to do here is to remove the assumption and confirm your compare
    > statement. There are strict C compilers (not gcc) that would complain
    > about your solution. They are a pain in the but to work with, but
    > probably worth it in the long run.

    Why? The style:

    if (<var>) ...

    is *extremely* common. Any compiler that warns about it will produce
    volumes of warnings for thousands of perfectly fine programs. Any C
    programmer who considers this poor style is way out of the mainstream.
    I can't imagine these C compilers being very popular. 

    -- 
Barry Margolin, barmar@alum.mit.edu
Arlington, MA
*** PLEASE post questions in newsgroups, not directly to me ***
  • Next message: Matt Palmer: "Re: Paying developers to get features faster"

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