Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site masscomp.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!masscomp!trb From: trb@masscomp.UUCP Newsgroups: net.unix Subject: Re: Improving C Message-ID: <231@masscomp.UUCP> Date: Fri, 16-Mar-84 11:49:44 EST Article-I.D.: masscomp.231 Posted: Fri Mar 16 11:49:44 1984 Date-Received: Sat, 17-Mar-84 03:15:11 EST References: <17422@sri-arpa.UUCP> <44@utastro.UUCP> Organization: MASSCOMP, Littleton, MA Lines: 18 I beg His humblest pardon for contradicting a point made in "Software Tools," but while I agree that bounds checking might certainly be needed for detecting malicious input in programs, it might also add lots of overhead to the darkest guts of a program, where you need the speed and certainly don't need the checking. Like jumping out of a plane and making sure that the touchdown area is covered with pillows 100 feet deep. I'll take bounds checking in production code as long as I can turn it off in sections of code where I don't want it, using a compiler directive. I know that I could certainly use checking when I debug, and I often wish I had it, and I wish that other people had it when I have to chase down their bugs. Having to compile separate modules with and without checking wouldn't be convenient enough, I think. Andy Tannenbaum Masscomp Inc Westford MA (617) 692-6200 x274