From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Return-Path: X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.4.4 (2020-01-24) on inbox.vuxu.org X-Spam-Level: X-Spam-Status: No, score=-0.8 required=5.0 tests=HEADER_FROM_DIFFERENT_DOMAINS, MAILING_LIST_MULTI autolearn=ham autolearn_force=no version=3.4.4 Received: from minnie.tuhs.org (minnie.tuhs.org [IPv6:2600:3c01:e000:146::1]) by inbox.vuxu.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 9708029D61 for ; Mon, 30 Sep 2024 20:00:01 +0200 (CEST) Received: from minnie.tuhs.org (localhost [IPv6:::1]) by minnie.tuhs.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 9C29E436A1; Tue, 1 Oct 2024 03:59:58 +1000 (AEST) Received: from mcvoy.com (mcvoy.com [192.169.23.250]) by minnie.tuhs.org (Postfix) with ESMTPS id DE1CE4369E for ; Tue, 1 Oct 2024 03:59:49 +1000 (AEST) Received: by mcvoy.com (Postfix, from userid 3546) id 5F3A235E98C; Mon, 30 Sep 2024 10:59:49 -0700 (PDT) Date: Mon, 30 Sep 2024 10:59:49 -0700 From: Larry McVoy To: Paul Winalski Message-ID: <20240930175949.GI17434@mcvoy.com> References: <20240928165812.4uyturluj4dsuwef@illithid> <20240928180559.GF9067@mcvoy.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Disposition: inline In-Reply-To: User-Agent: Mutt/1.5.24 (2015-08-30) Message-ID-Hash: FVS57EATTBRXOZ4EIEWZ74DIF7JIUBKK X-Message-ID-Hash: FVS57EATTBRXOZ4EIEWZ74DIF7JIUBKK X-MailFrom: lm@mcvoy.com X-Mailman-Rule-Misses: dmarc-mitigation; no-senders; approved; emergency; loop; banned-address; member-moderation; nonmember-moderation; administrivia; implicit-dest; max-recipients; max-size; news-moderation; no-subject; digests; suspicious-header CC: Computer Old Farts Followers X-Mailman-Version: 3.3.6b1 Precedence: list Subject: [COFF] Re: [TUHS] Re: Minimum Array Sizes in 16 bit C (was Maximum) List-Id: Computer Old Farts Forum Archived-At: List-Archive: List-Help: List-Owner: List-Post: List-Subscribe: List-Unsubscribe: On Mon, Sep 30, 2024 at 11:49:28AM -0400, Paul Winalski wrote: > [moving to COFF as this has drifted away from Unix] > > On Sat, Sep 28, 2024 at 2:06???PM Larry McVoy wrote: > > > > I have a somewhat different view. I have a son who is learning to program > > and he asked me about C. I said "C is like driving a sports car on a > > twisty mountain road that has cliffs and no guard rails. If you want to > > check your phone while you are driving, it's not for you. It requires > > your full, focussed attention. So that sounds bad, right? Well, if > > you are someone who enjoys driving a sports car, and are good at it, > > perhaps C is for you." > > > > If you really want a language with no guard rails, try programming in > BLISS. > > Regarding C and C++ having dangerous language features--of course they do. > Every higher-level language I've ever seen has its set of toxic language > features that should be avoided if you want reliability and maintainability > for your programs. And a set of things to avoid if you want portability. > > Regarding managed dynamic memory allocation schemes that use garbage > collection vs. malloc()/free(), there are some applications where they are > not suitable. I'm thinking about real-time programs. You can't have your > missle defense software pause to do garbage collection when you're trying > to shoot down an incoming ballistic missile. That's why I like reference counting. It doesn't have the long pauses that other garbage collection systems have, when the variable goes out of scope, you decrement, last guy frees. Seems pretty simple. -- --- Larry McVoy Retired to fishing http://www.mcvoy.com/lm/boat