Re: [TUHS] more about Brian...

[Ed Carp <erc@pobox.com>]

Since you made this personal and called me out specifically, I will respond:

"In what way is automatic memory management harder, more unsafe, and
less robust than hand-written memory management using malloc and
free?"

Because there's no difference in the two. Someone had to write the
"automatic memory management", right?

"You seem to think that garbage collection only exists in languages
that have a smell you don't like."

I said nothing of the kind. You've got me mixed up with someone else.
Just because I respond to a thread doesn't mean I agree with
everything said in the thread.

"Using malloc and free might be a badge of honor to some, but it's
also a failure of automation."

Again, the automation code has to written by *someone*. It doesn't
just appear by itself.

"This discussion should probably go to COFF, or perhaps I should just
leave the list. I am starting to feel uncomfortable here. Too much
swagger."

I read through the thread. Just because people don't agree with each
other doesn't equate to "swagger". I've seen little evidence of
anything other than reasoned analysis and rational, respectful
discussion. Was there any sort of personal attacks that I missed?

The fact of the matter is, code written with malloc/free, if written
carefully, will run for *years*. There are Linux boxes that have been
running for literally years without being rebooted, and mainframes and
miniframes that get booted only when a piece of hardware fails.